Deborah K. Letourneau and Beth Elpen Burrows
CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL
2002, 438 pp.
ISBN 0-8493-0439-3

This book is written in an easy-to-read style with an excellent balance that should satisfy a spectrum of readers. The authors are leaders in the field who presented their data clearly with excellent supporting references. The environmental/public relations issues are discussed systematically and logically showing that the editors and authors are unbiased and genuinely want to inform the reader of the benefits and risks associated with the genetic manipulation of a broad variety of organisms. This is a book for the pro- and anti-geneticists who have an open mind. Topics covers transgenic crops, including the controversial Bt-corn and monarch butterfly research, virus-resistant crops, genetically modified microorganisms, transgenic fish and engineered vaccines. All aspects of Bt-crops are covered, including 11 pages listing species that feed on these plants, the development of resistance and thorough statistical analyses of target and non-target insect populations. Risk assessment and the controversies associated with such biosafety issues are carefully considered so that an investigator in this discipline will be able to anticipate problems and plan accordingly. With an interest in genetically modified insect vectors, I was impressed with the chapters on the spread of genetic constructs in mosquito populations, and the environmental and community issues related to the proposed release of these. Without doubt, the two chapters are the best-written and most comprehensive source of information on this topic with excellent explanations, good bibliographies and clear flow charts. The book is essential reading for advocates and opponents of this strategy for suppressing vector-borne diseases, but it contains something for everyone. It is difficult not to be influenced by genetic engineering these days, and this book provides a balanced perspective for all.

Stephen Higgs
Center for Tropical Diseases and Department of Pathology
University of Texas Medical Branch
Galveston, TX 77555-0609
American Entomologist
Vol. 48, No.4, Winter 2002