Beverley Henderson

Wow, great reference! I picked this up because I wanted to learn more about the Latin and Greek root words of fancy doctor-speak, beyond the basics like "-itis" = inflammation and "-plasty" = surgical reconstruction. This book had what I was looking for, and so much more.

It's like Vocabulary Builder meets Anatomy 101. The book is divided into chapters each tackling a different system of the human body (skeletal, muscular, gastrointestinal, nervous, reproductive, etc.) Aside from breaking the terms in each system down into their basic Latin/Greek roots, each chapter also provided a good overview on how things work, like a friendly biology lesson for the layperson. This is something you could give to an inquisitive teenager, as a supplement to his or her Biology class. It does include illustrations.

There are even fun mnemonics at the end on how to remember names of bones or nerves. This isn't something one can read in one sitting, definitely, but is great for a pre-med or biology student with some free time in the summer, if they want to get a headstart on familiarizing themselves with the terminology.

Or for bored people like me, so I feel like I can decipher the little pamphlets that come with my medicine, and so I don't get too intimidated at hospitals when bludgeoned on the head with medical jargon.… (meer)