In an era when we are drowning in information, the job of a textbook such as Molecular Biology of the Cell is to help teach its readers how to swim. This it does admirably, and the punctilious attention to detail and effort devoted by the authors to covering this huge field in a lucid and easy-to-read style shines though on every page... the fourth edition of Molecular Biology of the Cell is an outstanding textbook... The clear and concise style and copious informative diagrams and illustrations set an impressive standard, and the comprehensive coverage of the field that has been achieved is quite remarkable. - Nature
The book is extremely well written... The hundreds of schematic/explanatory diagrams and light and electron micrographs and the way they are integrated into the text are superb... This 4th edition will be warmly welcomed by college and university teachers, researchers and students alike. It maintains and improves upon the quality and excellence of previous editions. - Doody's Reviews
The 4th edition of the Molecular Biology of the Cell does an excellent job of reporting our progress, and the next generation of purchasers should not regret the presence of this text on their bookshelves. - Cell
... what is to be said about the fourth edition of Molecular Biology of the Cell? The most casual glance confirms that standards have not slipped: short subsections with informative headings, highlighted key words, italicised chapter summaries and diagrams of great clarity... it should be remembered that Molecular Biology of the Cell set the precedent of providing a substantial problems book, and Tim Hunt and John Wilson have contributed a revised version of this supplement for the fourth edition... the sheer scale of coverage by the fourth edition of Molecular Biology of the Cell means it will be the first thing most of us will reach for in pursuit of the facts of life. - Journal of Cell Science
... a new kind of encyclopedia is taking shape, and for a new kind of audience. They don't just make an up-to-date alphabetical tour of some circumscribed area of human knowledge; They also try to put all that knowledge in context. The best I've yet encountered is a Molecular Biology of the Cell... It's essentially a single 1,500-plus-page essay on the microcosm that lurks invisibly at the very roots of the tree of life... the authors digest their material so brilliantly one can--with patience and a decent high-school science education--actually read the damn thing... [the] authors have with each edition improved every aspect of the book, polishing its plain, transparent prose, clarifying descriptions, enhancing illustrations... It's an easy book to like, too... - Seattle Weekly
Molecular Biology of the Cell, a hefty tome written for a wide range of students, as well as scientists wishing to follow the rapid progress in their specialized fields, delivers on its promise to give readers the most comprehensive text possible. At first glance, it doesn't seem possible that the authors had to decide what details to leave out. It looks as if they'd covered it all. From a basic discussion of cells, genomes, and cell chemistry to DNA, cellular organization, function and cell immunity, the authors have incorporated facts, specific examples, and essential concepts in a way that makes this new edition a landmark work in the field of molecular cell biology. As genomics expands more rapidly than anyone thought possible, and complete sequencing of genomes from bacteria to humans has revolutionized our understanding of living things, new information is critical. Included in this amazing text are discussions of new discoveries in biotechnology, cellular mechanisms, infection and immunity. Without sacrificing content, the authors have put together a remarkable book that can be used for courses in cell biology or molecular biology (chapters 1 through 8). Outstanding drawings, photographs, and diagrams fill the chapters to enhance the excellent writing. Every instructor will want to keep a reference copy on his or her shelf, whether they use the book for their classes or not. As a textbook, there's not one better. Highly recommended for academic libraries, as well as undergraduate, and graduate courses. - Life Science Book Review
Praise for the previous editions:
The epitome of what a current upper level textbook in cell biology should be.
Quarterly Review of Cell Biology
Accessible and relatively easy to read... timely and accurate... profusely and beautifully illustrated.
American Society for Microbiology News
A reliable, accurate and up-to-date textbook for which students and researchers must be grateful.
Trends in Biochemical Sciences
A big, beautiful (now in color), up-to-date survey of cell biology.
Sci Tech Book News
The authors and their publisher have once again led the way and set the standard against which other scientific textbooks will be measured.
Biochemical Education
