This book contains papers presented at a meeting on hyperammonemia and hepatic encephalopathy. It provides an update of the knowledge of causes and mechanisms of hyperarnmonemia and hepatic encephalopathy -- worthy objectives, but there are other books containing well-written chapters on the subject. This book is written for specialists interested in this subject, including neurologists, pediatricians, hepatologists, gastroenterologists, and surgeons, in my view. The contributors and editors are authorities in the matters discussed. Tables and figures are adequate. The references are current to 1996. The table of contents and index are adequate. However, overall appearance of the book is unattractive. This book reflects the disadvantages of publishing papers presented at a meeting. A few chapters are not relevant to the title of the book although they are well written (for example, glucose and insulin metabolism, living related liver transplantation). The book is similar to the contents of journals dedicated to the subject (i.e., seminars in liver disease).