This book had its genesis in notes for students on an Open University course. This second and enlarged edition is intended to be useful for a wider audience, namely part or full-time students beyond school level on a variety of courses. It's a pity that a conventional title page with the usual bibliographic information is lacking. The current and continuing decline in typographic skills is noticeable in its boring page layout, which not only doesn't contribute to quick comprehension of the book's material but in some cases (eg printing black type on a blue background, the use of small quirky type faces) actually impedes it. The ability to use a computer doesn't automatically confer skills in design!

The author also doesn't give students the essential variables they must know in order to practice for timed examinations with a known number of questions, or when drafting a talk to occupy a fixed time.

My preliminary conclusion about the book is that while it is exhaustive, conscientious students may also find it unnecessarily exhausting. ( )