A Dictionary of Genetics (8th edition)

As academic reference books go this is at first glance a sizeable contribution for a very reasonable price. The latest edition of this popular illustrated dictionary stands nearly a 100 pages longer and a little cheaper than the preceding version, for which both the authors and publisher should be commended. The book wastes a scant few pages for the introductory preface and acknowledgements before diving into the meat of the work.

The main entries are listed alphabetically and range in length from a single line to a full paragraph and are all written in accessibly accurate language. Given that genetics...