Since it has been a while since my initial nursing study days opening a textbook, especially an anatomy textbook, was anticipated to be a challenging read. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The structure of this textbook and the use of case studies and clinical practice focus really seems to take the more abstract (and what could be considered ‘drier’) topic of anatomy and give it a true applied sense. The information was very applied in nature and moved away from the traditional organ or system focused format to a more patient centred approach, in line with our clinical practice goals! The focus on the normal and having a good understanding on this is a strong starting point for learners and readers. Moving to discussions of the abnormal and disease states is certainly left as the next steps in the health professionals learning process and not specifically covered in this text. However, the coverage of the normal puts them in good stead for applying this knowledge when encountering patients. The text has attempted to address the life span of paediatric to geriatric and other special populations like maternity but not to a full extent. It draws some comparisons and highlights differences but is just a starting point for addressing the unique characteristics of these populations. The text is primarily adult focused and that seems to be a decision made to ensure that the information presented is comprehensive for its target audience. The comparisons and highlighting of key differences between adults and paediatric and geriatric populations is an interesting point to make and can spark the reader to explore further readings if their interest lies within these speciality populations. A standout chapter is the one exclusively on pain. The in-depth focus on this as its own entity is interesting and very applicable to a large range of patients which our health professionals encounter. Finally, the illustrations are eye catching and very clear in the information they are trying to convey. Overall this textbook is an ’easy’ read for an anatomy textbook and really well tailored for a good introductory text for beginning health professionals.