Customer Reviews

Vander's Human Physiology: The Mechanisms of Body Function

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I took Systems Physiology from Widmaier (the author of this book) and the course was phenomenal. The book served as an excellent reference and an exciting read. The only real downside to the book is there is so much interesting information that it is easy to get sidetracked when you are trying to study.

Between college and medical school I've had spent a lot of time with physiology books and this is a good one. If I want to pull one book of the shelf to look at some system or pathway this is the book I grab first. While the it is written in an accessible and engaging way the flow charts are its greatest strength. Vander's diagramming is the best out there. Often times a single figure will cover what other books need pages and pages to cover.

This book is great because it isn't trying to be all things to all readers. It is not an exhaustive reference text; instead, it is the sort that can be read cover to cover. I would describe Vander's as a great starting point for those who will go on in Physiology (MD/PhD) or look at physiology for those who are interested but do not aspire to mastery (the English major interested in science).
It sits somewhere between the crushing detail of books like Boron & Boulpaep and the "why it matters" approach of Costanzo.
For those who are looking to get their lifetime mastery of physiology from a single class experience Tortora & Derrickson might be a better bet.

I Read both this older edition, and Newest edition which is much more expensive and this older one here is way easier to understand. I understood it better in this older edition compared to the newer one. Everything is explained much better and in an easier way for students like me who hate studying. My mind wanders a lot when reading complicated subjects like this.

I couldnt tell you if there was a big difference it the two editions...but I can suggest that before spending $130 on the new edition, buy this older one and read it twice 2 months before your class begins so that when you do finally get the new edition, you would have 85% better chance than all your fellow classmates in understanding this subject. I was one of three people who passed this class with an A, and the other two students who got an A? Well, one was my lab partner who was failing until she got with me after my orginal lab partner dropped the class after 3 weeks, and the other student was a lady who was taking this course for the second time around because she got a D the last time she took it. She had a headstart.

I did this same thing with Anatomy class and passed with an A, ranking number 1 in class. I remember two students who had low C's in the Anatomy class asked me during finals week, what I was doing, and when I told them I read the text once before starting the class, and read it again when class started, they were actually suprised that we had to read the text! I was like "wow....really?" They said that they didnt read it, because the teacher never ordered us to, so they just went off the notes and lectures. I'd say 80% of the exams were from the books, and the rest from lectures. I studied both.

Wasn't sure if this was a professional book at first with an advertisment on the first interior page but the first 6 chapters or so provide a concice summary of cell biology elements relevant to physiology so if you don't know the difference between an ionic and covelant bond or the types of membrane junctions when you come to this you have a place to turn to when reading about neurones. My physiology course uses the flowcharts and diagrams in lectures and I can see why. Based on homeostasis, very central theme to the book. Thoroughly enjoyable with good 'key points' sections.

This book is being used for one of my grad classes that I am taking with an undergrad class. It is very understandable, and the figures are of great help to the text. Usually textbooks are dull, but this one seems to be precise and relativity interesting!! If you're taking another Biology class, and need help understanding some things, this would be a good book to read. If you need it for class, it's worth the money!

Vander's physiology is simply magnificent especially if it's your first time taking physiology. Before I took my first physiology class ,I decided to buy Guyton and it was fun for a certain time but as I progressed through the course Vander became my first choice. I loved the charts and diagrams and most of all I loved how cohesive the book is, there is no redundancy like Guyton. over all this book is an excellent choice if u want to grasp the fundamental concepts of Physiology and it won't let u down when you explore these concepts further more.

The text book is smaller than I expected but still helps me a lot with all the systems. It doesn't seem to have a completely correct grasp when it comes to some of the graphs but it is a great review and read for understanding the body systems and in depth description

the book was in great condition and mailed out quickly... great for customer service... highly recommend!!!

Thanks for the book.!It was in very good condition, and I received it sooner than the estimated date. =)

This used book matched the description (slightly in a better shape), and I received what I was expecting. It had a few highlights, and apart from that it was in great shape. Also I received it in two days. I don't think I was expecting to get it that soon.