This volume is one in a series of very short introductions to a wide range of subjects that provide trenchant and complete discussions of the central issues in a given field. Nobes (Univ. of London, UK) candidly admits that the book will not turn readers into accountants and that it is not intended for use by professionals. Rather, the book is intended to make intelligent nonaccountants conversant in and appreciative of the fundamentals of the discipline. The book accomplishes this task very well. Terms such as debits, pre-tax income, and goodwill are simplified and explained, making accounting vocabulary nonintimidating and understandable. Though thoughtfully and perceptively written from a British perspective, US readers will find the book both relevant and intriguing. Where else will readers be confronted by Luca Pacioli and the IASC within a few pages of each other? Although brief by design, the book has suggested further readings by topic, a glossary, and a useful index. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers. --Francis A. Marino, Assumption College