The editors have compiled a nearly exhaustive presentation of both potential and practical computer applications in microbiology. They describe each application in enough detail for an interested reader to pursue it.

The obligatory information about sources of hardware and software in chapter 1 is the book’s strength, but the focus is too narrow; the information about British software and systems lacks universal appeal. The author of chapter 2, on image analysis, makes too many assumptions about prior knowledge in many areas for the chapter to be useful. It is well written and detailed, but not appropriate for the novice. Similarly, chapter 3 on data analysis, and chapter 4 on taxonomy and systemics, are highly detailed descriptions of specific applications: they will be useful for readers with an appropriate background and an appreciation of the problems at hand. Chapter 5, on education, discusses a limited geographic area. Chapter 6 is a brief course on simulation and mathematical models as they might apply to microbiological problems. Chapter 7, on computers and clinical microbiology, describes a computer system and tells the reader how to think about computer applications; much of the chapter repeats material from chapter 1. Chapter 8 ends the book with a discussion of process control affirmation, which is normally an industrial problem.

This volume can serve as a starting point for solving problems. It does not provide an approach to problem solving; instead, it gives a list of solutions without any information that would allow readers to choose between options. In some chapters the writers’ bias causes one solution to loom large over the alternatives. Other chapters give exquisite detail about specific mathematical models whose applicability is not clear. The chapters are not connected, and the absence of stylistic consistency makes the book difficult to read.

The use of specific software references throughout the book is distracting and may prevent the novice reader from generalizing. The list of abbreviations on page xv is intimidating. This book is not for the casual reader interested in computer applications to microbiology: it is at once overly general and too specific. Computer scientists with a knowledge of any of the areas discussed could read this book to familiarize themselves with computer applications in that area. Microbiologists looking for a solution to a particular problem will not find the book useful.