In a world where most up-to-date information can be gained easily and cheaply by a PubMed search for the most appropriate review article on any subject, the role of the textbook increasingly appears redundant. Books such as Molecular approaches to malaria, however, reaffirm the value of a good textbook.

Malaria continues to be one of the most important causes of death and illness worldwide. There are about half a billion cases of malaria and around two million deaths occur annually, mostly …