This detailed book begins with an interesting history, with some weird and wonderful treatments for asthma through the ages! It goes on to explain what asthma is, different kinds of attacks, the effects of asthma on the lungs and bronchial tubes, who gets it: lifestyle reasons, susceptibility genes, smoking, pollution, etc. We go on to treatment - inhalers and different kinds of reliever drugs and prevention drugs - using inhalers, spacers and nebulisers. We are told that people with asthma must take control, must learn how to monitor symptoms, learn what triggers affect them and that only in this way can they live a normal life. A section on asthma sometimes being life-threatening gives examples of people who have died through asthma and some statistics in the UK and USA are given. Emergency treatments are explained as well as the importance of getting help quickly. There is quite a long section on scientific advances and possible future discoveries, but we are told there is not likely to be a cure in the near future. Quotes from medical journals and from people with asthma, give reality to the information. The book is very honest, full of facts and information, and will be useful for adults as well as young people. A detailed glossary, index, a contact list for different countries and a list of further reading help make the book useful.