Kelley and Firestein’s Textbook of Rheumatology, 2-Volume Set (Kelleys Textbbok of Rheumatology) 10th Edition

Book Preface

Whither textbooks: Learning in the internet er The tenth edition of the Textbook of Rheumatology (TOR10) returns with the entire editorial team from the previous edition and a contributing group of truly outstanding experts in the field. Once again, we believe that this represents an authoritative—actually, the authoritative— resource for rheumatology trainees, clinicians, and researchers.

One key question that we are asked and actually ask ourselves is, “Why produce a textbook when you can log onto the internet and download a review article or original research in an instant?” Traditionalists may relish the shiny pages of a beautiful book, but this seems antiquated in the e-book era. However, we contend that a tome like TOR10 provides an entirely different experience for the reader. It is “moderated” by the editors; authors are carefully vetted, and their chapters are reviewed by multiple experts. The organization of TOR10 is also quite distinct. We do not divide a disease or topic into multiple short chapters written by several authors and covering narrow areas; instead, we purposely keep chapters broad enough to provide an integrated view of the literature. That does not mean that TOR10 chapters are broad or superficial. On the contrary, the level of scholarship is extraordinary, and the authors demonstrate their total mastery of the topic. We have continued the principle of the founding editors to provide comprehensive references so that trainees appreciate the original, classic papers in our field. The publication cycle of textbooks is longer than the rapid fire of specific scientific discoveries or the theory du jour. This offers the distinct advantage of pause for thought. Paracelsus declared the physician’s greatest friend to be time. TOR10 delivers a considered appraisal over time of the evolving general concepts of rheumatology.

Even so, textbooks might seem anachronistic at this point. Not so for TOR10! We have migrated more and more to online or e-versions. While textbook paper copy distribution drifts downward, online access as measured by “clicks” has soared. These observations confirm our basic premise that our specialty still demands the content and care that goes into creating a unique resource like TOR10. In the coming years, our book will continue to adapt to a changing learning environment. One thing that will not change, however, is the editors’ devotion to bringing readers an authoritative, well-written, and readable resource that
can be trusted as the “gold standard” for our specialty to help them understand the science and practice of rheumatology. See you in a few years with TOR11!

The Editors