Although the plant-pathogenic Cryphonectriaceae may have been overlooked by some plant pathologists, as they are generally not as familiar as some other fungal pathogens, several of the diseases that they cause have had serious economic consequences. In fact Cryphonectria parasitica played an important part in the final downfall of many of the Amerindians who lived in what is now the eastern United States. These tribes depended on the annual harvest of chestnuts (Castanea dentata) in the native forests. This once abundant species declined almost completely due to chestnut blight that was imported with related but practically immune Asiatic tree species. Many other highly destructive pathogens of other trees are also described in detail. For this reason, this very clear book should act as an important and useful reference for many plant pathologists and arborists throughout the world for some time to come.