Customer Reviews

Gray's Anatomy: The Unabridged Running Press Edition of the American Classic

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I want to reinforce what reviewer Thomas Greiner wrote, because it appears that so many other reviewers may be unaware that there is an edition of Gray's Anatomy that is much more current, useful, and abundantly illustrated than this one.

This reprint of the classic 1901 edition can be recommended for only limited reasons: It is relatively compact and easy to carry around; it is inexpensive; and it's a classic of historical interest. It's authoritative and well written, but it is poorly illustrated (a much more verbal than pictorial guide to anatomy), some of its terminology is long out of date, and it is lacking in scientific currency.

For medical students, health-care professionals, personal injury attorneys, or others who want and can afford a more current and comprehensive reference, I strongly recommend the 1995, 38th British Edition of Gray's Anatomy (ISBN 0-443-04560-7). It's much more expensive (about $215), but well worth it. It is THE definitive reference work and belongs on the shelf of anyone who needs an up-to-date, comprehensive, impeccably authoritative, and well-illustrated treatment of human structure.

For artists who need to know what's under the skin; for anyone who wants a more visual than verbal presentation of human anatomy; for nursing, physical therapy, or other allied health students who need less detail that Gray's; for others who can't afford a $215 anatomy book; and for anyone wanting a visual atlas to complement Gray's, the following are excellent atlases that would serve far better than the 1901 Gray's.

For photographic treatments of cadaveric anatomy I recommend "Color Atlas of Anatomy" (Rohen & Yokochi); their smaller and less expensive, paperback version, "Photographic Anatomy of the Human Body" (Yokochi, Rohe, & Weinreb); or "McMinn's Color Atlas of Human Anatomy" (Abrahams, Marks, & Hutchings).

For lineart atlases, which have some explanatory advantages over photography, I recomment "Atlas of Human Anatomy" (Netter), "Grant's Atlas of Anatomy" (Agur), or "Anatomy" (Clemente). All of these are visually fascinating atlases, although they offer very little of the verbal description needed for functional insight. For that, I recommend "Clinically Oriented Anatomy" (Moore and Dalley). Most students would probably be best served by Moore & Dalley and one of the aforementioned atlases. Other than the British Gray's, if I could have only two human anatomy books, they would be Moore & Dalley and Rohen & Yokochi.

This is a great book for anyone from a interrested thirteen year old to a pre-med or med school student to a liscenced M.D. I read the book and absolutely loved it. Henry Gray is a genius. "Gray's descriptions are clear and easy for laymen to understand, and the many illustrations are detailed and fascinating. Essential not only for medical students and professionals but also for painters, sculptors, or anyone interested in coming to know his own body and its structure." -Small Press Review

If you are an anatomy student you do not want this book.

You want the 40th edition (as of today in March 2010).
The one edited by Susan Standring, which is much more expensive, and much more professional as well.

I fell for this one myself many years ago.
My physician father had a look at this book and noticed that it was full of mistakes.
He then noticed that it was a reprint of the original.
This is stated in small print in the book, but it is not obvious.

This is a not very well done copy of the original century old book.

It is no longer a viable text for anatomy students.

The people selling this book think that students will buy it assuming it is a cheaper (but otherwise identical) copy of the very expensive Gray's Anatomy. Another reviewer mentioned the difference in price. Please note the publishers' names as well.

I bought this book when I was a student, thinking I had found a great bargain.

It isn't and you shouldn't.

For more information about this very interesting text, go to the Wikipedia link about the various editions of Gray's Anatomy (it will also verify this review).

For med students, funeral directors, artists, model makers, special effects technicians, this is a CLASSIC book! Even if you just want to know about the human body and how it works, GET this book! Don't let the size of it fool or intimidate you.