Kaplan & Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry (2 Volume Set)

This CD is very easy to navigate and it holds the whole2-volume text of Kaplan and Sadock's textbook. The textbook is the smartest and most coplete book that I ever encounted in murky field of Psych.As for myself, it is much easier to scroll the computer screen than glean into such heavy printed manual as K&S's.

As the title says, this is an extremely comprehensive and up to date text containing all you ever wanted to know (plus things you never knew existed) about psychiatry - from its historical roots, biological, psychological and social determinants, medications, psychiatric sub-specialties, plus other detailed information about topics that are often not even mentioned in similar psychiatric texts.Consequently this is a very lengthy tome and one might find onseself having to sift through a lot of information to reach the specific information that is being sought. All opinions and current research on a topic is broadly covered in a well-balanced manner. As with all "comprehensive" texts, information tends to be repeated (and sometimes fragmented) in multiple sections and this can be frustrating when one is trying to gather all the information on a given topic (which does not fall under one of the multiple headings)....But modern information technology to the rescue with the CD-ROM version. The interface is very flexible and configurable with a powerful search engine for the complete text, images & medications contained within; there is the ability to highlight (in user defined colours) & annotate text; one can even edit, rewrite, format, cut & paste text and images in a way akin to a "lite" edition of MS Word... If you have plenty of printer toner and reams of paper, you could even print YOUR VERY OWN edition of this Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry (for private use only of course!)I am unclear why, but the significant advantage of being able to fully manipulate the contents and rapidly search the CD-ROM version (as opposed to the bulky 2 volumes book set) is not heavily promoted by the publisher (their technical support team were not even able to confirm if this version could be edited when I rang them). This would have been a big selling point in my opinion.Final comment - very pricey text (moreso when you know how much CD-ROM media costs) - however not many other options available of the same calibre. Definitely a specialist reference, and probably worth the money if you're in the mental health profession or undergoing post-graduate studies in this field.

Great

Great book ¡

If you are a therapist, psychologist, psychiatris, or just love to learn about psychiatry, this is an amazing reference book set. It is an encyclopedia on psychiatry. I used this set of books in my classes for my masters degree in Marital and Family Therapy. It was reccomended to me by my supervisor, a licensed psychologist for over 30 years, as a good reference book for my education and my private practice. If you are in the field, you need this book.

This textbook is definitly the GOLD STANDARD concerning the everyday learning and practice of psychiatry . The huge sum of persons involved in its making gives it the credibility other textbooks lack . Every section going from neural sciences to ethic problems going thru psychopharmacology and child psychiatry has been thouroughly discussed with a simple , clear and precise manner . Every graduate in psychiatry ( as myself ) should get his hands on this book . It's a MUST ...

This is the established text, periodically updated, on psychiatry - history, pathophysiology, treatment, etc. An essential desk companion for clinicians (and laypersons).