MBOC Still The Leader of the Pack

Alberts is Back

If you were forced to have just ONE biology book on your bookshelf, let this be that one. Molecular Biology of the Cell (MBOC), Edition Four, does not disapoint readers who have faithfully studied Alberts in the past, nor does it disappoint Molecular Biology newcomers.
The latest edition is as comprehensive, readable, authoritative, and visual as ever. It also comes with one heck of a CD (rolling leukocytes, drosophila development, the list of videos is amazing), but even if you never stick the CD in a drive, the text is well worth the money.

The Content

One can read this book because it's required, or one can read this book because it's fun. As it turns out, I read it for both reasons. I tend to start reading because I need to know something (required), and then end up flipping past something that looks interesting and the next thing I know, an hour or two has passed. Seriously. The writing is clear and engaging, and it seems Alberts (et al) has his target audience down to a tee. From every level of education from high school to post grad, this book is a perfect reference.
MBOC is a comprehensive overview, covering almost every aspect of known concepts in molecular cellular biology. The book is divided up into five parts and 25 chapters, beginning with a readable introduction, and ending with a final chapter on Pathogens, infection, and innate immunity. The order is logical, the authority respectable, the images are remarkable, and a bonus is that this latest edition has color!

The book also includes a comprehensive glossary and a pretty complete index. Each chapter ends with a "References" section, and it has to be mentioned that the references are up-to-date, often referencing 2001 papers.

The CD

The CD is worth the price of the book alone. It's organized by chapter, like the text. I've used portions of it in seminars, and I've never had a problem with it freezing up.
The rolling leukocytes video is really fabulous. The other time lapse video and 'live' video is really tremendous, and I believe those videos and animations alone could turn a technophile teenager into a budding biologist.

The Flaws
There are flaws??? Well, actually, there are annoyances. The List of Topics (aka: table of contents) has associated page numbers only for the main chapter headings. Each subdivision is listed, and even lower levels are listed in great detail, but there are no associated page numbers. This is frustrating, and also makes the List of Topics look cluttered.

Additionally, I would have liked to see a 'recommended reading' list at the very end of the book, but that's my personal preference and not having it there didn't detract from the book.

Now what?
Now what? Go buy this book, that's what!