Lindhorst begins with a beautifully crafted introduction into the structure and nomenclature of carbohydrates, from monosaccharides through oligosaccharides. The author includes a description of Fischer's elucidation of the basic stereochemical interrelationships of the monosaccharides. This passage cleverly reinforces the concept by illustrating how structural relationships were used to solve a chemical problem. The figures and examples reinforce the text very well, demonstrating how structure and reactivity are related to biological activity. Once the basics have been presented, the book makes a transition into synthetic application by beginning with an introduction into protecting groups, so important in carbohydrate synthesis because of the complex regio-chemical consequences.

Subsequent chapters address glycoside synthesis and monosaccharide functionalization. In order to show the practical application of carbohydrate chemistry, the presentation makes use of recent examples from the literature and gives a good overview of different synthetic strategies. Lindhorst introduces carbohydrates as the "chiral pool," lending to their versatility as synthetic precursors to biologically important compounds. Also important is the presentation of the biosynthesis of glycoconjugates, which clearly shows the importance of carbohydrate moieties in large macro-molecules. For example, the elegance of the glyco-biology of blood group determinates, leucocyte recruitment, and microbial adhesion are discussed.

In two informative and brief chapters, Lindhorst addresses the most important aspects of purification and modern structure determination techniques. Again, the figures are well selected and aid in the presentation. There is a good listing of primary carbohydrate literature resources, both journals and books that serve to introduce the reader to the primary sources in the field. These sources will, as the author states, "…open the door to the world of current carbohydrate research and those engaged in it." Also, the author has included an index of all of the synthetic examples presented in the book.

The material is treated in a comprehensive way without being overly detailed. There are several topics, however, on which the author could have expanded. The section on mass spectroscopy, for example, lacks the detail presented in other sections. This book is best used as a quick reference for non-carbohydrate chemists, serving as a source for general information. For the reader seeking more advanced material, it serves as a good starting point for locating detailed information. The author hopes "…that as well as providing an introduction to carbohydrate chemistry, this book will also provide incentive for further studies…" It certainly would not serve as a textbook for a carbohydrate chemistry course, and that was not the objective of the author. This book would be a useful addition to any noncarbohydrate chemist's or biochemist's personal library.