The magnificent anatomic presentation in this book "The Heart and Cor onary Arteries" has a unique importance for surgeons. It is a fundamental contribution to the anatomy of the heart and great arteries as well, because of the analytical, detailed, and imaginative anatomic approach of the author. While surgery from time to time is influenced by the development of new physiologic principles and techniques, methods of intra- and post-operative support, and new diagnostic methodology, the excellence of its results con tinues to be related primarily to the precision and perfection of the opera tive procedure itself. The operative procedure can be precise and perfect only if it is based upon the surgeon's profound knowledge of normal anatomy, his understanding of the alterations in this normal anatomy by the pathol ogy with which he is dealing, and his ability to use this anatomic informa tion in organizing and effecting his surgical procedure. The cardiac sur geon, therefore, will find great rewards from intense study of this anatomic atlas. The cardiologist, the pediatric cardiologist, the anatomist, the pathol ogist, and students interested in cardiac disease will benefit to almost the same degree from a careful study of this work. May 1975 JOHN W. KIRKLIN, M. D.