Taking the reader from an understanding of the basic mechanisms of heart failure through to an appreciation of the complexities of heart failure management and the remarkable improvements possible with good treatment, the Oxford Textbook of Heart Failure 2e covers all aspects necessary to manage a patient with heart failure. I am enthusiastic about this Oxford Textbook of Heart Failure, edited by McDonagh, Gardner, Clark and Dargie, that fills a much-needed gap in the literature. The book at once achieves a ready accessibility and an impressive degree of learning. It will be of interest to both the non heart failure cardiologist and to those cardiologists with particular expertise in the area alike, alongside all other physicians and clinicians involved in delivering heart failure care, across all health care domains. Each will bring their own knowledge to their reading but all have much to learn from this tome. If you buy no other textbook this year this should be the one, and then read it and read it and read it.