These two volumes form a ‘livre-hommage à Louis Euzet’. It goes without saying that Euzet is one of the great parasitologists of our time. He is honoured by contributions, mostly in English, from some 70 authors worldwide, and the range and quality of their 36 articles provide a fitting tribute to an outstanding scientist.

There is something about a Festschrift or livre-hommage that appeals to me and for the following reason. Good multi-author texts that deal with a single parasite, or group of parasites, are invaluable aids in research and teaching. However, by their very nature, they are limited in scope and tend to be targeted to a fairly restricted range of readers. In contrast, this livre-hommage, although mainly dealing with helminths, reflects a very wide range of approaches. Where else, except in a book of this type, could one find expert contributions on, for example, systematics, molecular biology, life-cycles, host–parasite interactions, evolution etc., with reference to a variety of parasites and hosts, brought together in one publication?

All the articles are well referenced and illustrated, and there is a comprehensive index for the two volumes. Once begun, I found this work hard to put down. It is one of the few recent books that I have reviewed of which I can truly state that I have read, and enjoyed, every chapter. At €50 for the two volumes, it represents very good value for money. I recommend it as essential reading for all parasitologists interested in obtaining a broad overview of recent developments in the wormy world.