As Bob Knight states in his introduction to this book, clinical geropsychology has been growing as a field for some time, to the point where it is now a diverse and vibrant area of endeavour. This in itself would be sufficient grounds to have high expectations of this volume, and these are only increased by the knowledge that the handbook is edited by two very eminent advocates for clinical psychology with older adults. Overall, this impressive volume attests to the emerging maturity of the field, and provides an up to date resource for practitioners, as well as a state of the art review of research and indicators of areas for future development.

What should one expect from a handbook? Intrigued by this question, I turned to find some definitions of a “handbook”. Wikipedia defined a handbook as a type of reference work, or other collection of instructions, that is intended to provide ready reference, containing concise information and being small enough to be held in the hand. The current volume, at over 1100 pages and weighing in at more than 2.3 kg, can barely be held in one hand, so it was relief to find that the definition also helpfully noted that some handbooks provide ready reference, despite not being pocket sized. So does this handbook provide concise information and ready reference? Here we are on firmer ground, as each of the chapters provides a clear, well-structured, comprehensive and yet, concise, overview of its respective topic. If a handbook is to provide ready reference, then certain features will assist: the presence of a comprehensive index, the provision of clear bibliographies (in this case divided into key readings and useful resources, as well as a comprehensive reference list at the end of each chapter), and, perhaps the judicious use of key points of information highlighted in tables or boxes. All these features are present, and greatly assist the reader in gaining ready access to concise information – two necessary attributes, as we have noted, of a handbook.

Turning to the content of the book, the 50 chapters cover the field of geropsychology quite comprehensively and convincingly. Divided into five broad sections, the chapters flow nicely from introductory material on topics such as the demography of aging, developmental approaches to aging and more sociological perspectives on caregiving roles, through to the concluding section entitled “New Horizons”, covering a number of topical issues, such as use of computers by older adults, and a final chapter on the need for international perspectives in geropsychology. In between are three sections covering assessment and formulation, sources of psychological distress and interventions. The section on sources of psychological distress had a pleasing breadth, going beyond consideration of the core disorders, such as depression, anxiety and personality disorders, to include issues such as loneliness and insomnia. More positive aspects of aging are not neglected, with an excellent chapter on positive aging that encompassed theoretical models of aging well, as well as providing practical and specific suggestions as to how to apply this approach in clinical practice.

The section on implications for practice is a feature of every chapter, and although variable in length and quality, these features contribute to the editorial uniformity of the book overall. My reservations are few: the chapter on successful aging in the introductory section has a somewhat narrow focus, and did not reference any of the recent debates that have critiqued the concept of successful aging, and there is little attention to aging with a disability. It was also notable that the vast majority of contributors to the book are from the English-speaking nations, with a scattering of Europeans and one chapter on mental health practice in mainland China. A more broadly international perspective would have been welcome. But this remains a very valuable contribution to the field of psychology and older adults, highlighting the diverse roles that we can play in the promoting good mental health in older adults. So who should buy this book? Students will find it pricey, but I will certainly recommend it to my university's library, as should other academics. Practicing psychologists will find much here to educate, stimulate and encourage them in their clinical work. Researchers will find it a useful resource for the current state of play in geropsychology, and an inspiration to advance the field further. In short, this book is an excellent handbook, in that it provides ready access to concise information – just don't expect to put it in your pocket.