Begin at the beginning and go on until you come to the end; then stop. Lewis Carroll (1832?1898), Alice?s Adventures in Wonderland This book does indeed begin at the beginning and lays a very ?rm foundation by not only clearly de?ning the subject, namely m- culoskeletal medicine, but also stating what the text discusses. Having prepared the ground in a business-like manner, the author approaches the subject in a precise and informative manner. This is all to the good, as there is a dearth of informed and informative works concerning this particular aspect of medical practice. Therefore, this book should be welcomed by all those for whom it is written, namely health care professionals and their patients. Those who expect a textbook of practice will be disappointed. Whilst there is information aplenty, this is not a bench book; rather, it is a more leisurely guide to the clinical and admin- trative aspects of an important but neglected area of human s- fering. The reader must appreciate that this book needs more than a single read-through. It should be read thoroughly and inwardly digested before either rushing to take up the cudgels of manipulation or to condemn the author roundly for propagating witch-doctoring.