In their preface the editors express the hope that their book reflects the development of old age psychiatry as a speciality. I think that they have gone some way towards this aim. This is a weighty and worthy tome, ambitious in its range. The spread of contributors is impressive, including both old stalwarts and newer, less-familiar names. The topics covered are almost all that one could wish for in a single-volume reference book, and more. It seems churlish to pick on the gaps, but sleep disorders and services to ethnic elders might merit more space in the next edition.

It took me a long time to produce this review, and my difficulty reflects the essence of the book: it is not one to rush, and it needs time to digest, to refer back and to savour. It is an investment, not an impulse buy. I enjoyed Catherine Oppenheimer's chapter on sexuality in old age. It is good to see 25 pages devoted to a relatively neglected area; one that, I predict, will become more of an issue in the future. I learned a lot from Desmond O'Neill's ‘Driving and psychiatric illness in later life’. In my time working in central Manchester I rarely met an elderly person who was still driving (perhaps those who could afford to drive could also afford to move elsewhere?) but I had to learn fast when I moved to Wolverhampton, and I found this chapter useful, practical and thought-provoking. The case histories bring the chapters on psychotherapy treatment to life, and the quotations from carers in Harry Cayton's chapter are particularly moving and memorable.

I don't recommend this book for bed-time reading (although it might be an alternative to a weight-training session in the gym). I regard it as an essential reference book, both for dipping into during idle moments, and for vital information when asked tricky questions by your trainee. If you own a previous edition, you will be missing out if you don't replace it. I recommend a hardback copy for your library and the paperback for your own bookshelf.