Alcohol is the most popular psychoactive drug in the world and there is now more of it being consumed than ever before. Nationally and internationally, armies of health promoters, social workers and many others besides battle to ensure that individuals and society are safeguarded from the harmful consequences of alcoholic excess while at the same time a huge, global industry is dedicated to the manufacture and sale of alcohol products and to protecting their markets by convincing consumers and policy makers of their benignity.

One of the most obvious consequences of this contest, of alcohol having become a medical, social, cultural, economic and political issue more or less everywhere, is the emergence of a world-wide alcohol research industry and the endless stream of books, journals and papers that it produces. Confronted by this deluge, the initial reaction of the researcher and, perhaps, still more the practitioner may be to wonder despairingly whether it is really necessary to add to it yet another very large volume the main function of which will be to provide further evidence that nowadays it is impossible to keep up with everything.

The answer is yes. Just because of this vast and ever-growing literature, it is particularly helpful to be handed a single volume providing comprehensive coverage of the entire field of alcohol studies. This was the stated aim of the editors, a complete source of information and reference on all major aspects of alcohol studies – in short, an alcohol A-Z – and in this they have succeeded admirably.

The book is structured around the main themes of clinical pathology; antecedents of drinking, problems and dependence; drinking patterns and types of problems; treatment and recovery, and prevention. Each chapter is written by a recognised international expert who provides a summary of the present state of knowledge in his respective field and the contributions appear to be of a uniformly high standard. All relevant disciplines are represented, and the book reflects a variety of views and approaches. The book is well balanced in every sense of the term.

As the editors concede, no volume can be fully comprehensive in a literal sense, and most readers will be able to identify some omission or other. This reviewer would have appreciated an additional couple of chapters on the effects of alcohol problems on people other than the drinkers themselves and, because of their importance in the debate on alcohol policy, the social costs of alcohol problems.

But these are relatively minor quibbles. The editors deserve congratulation for producing what will surely be a standard reference book for some years to come.

Andrew McNeill