Molecular Cell Biology- Fifth Edition Description:

Molecular Cell Biology, Fifth Edition review:
1 stars (Inferior in every way) - The Alberts text (Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fourth Edition) is superior to this text in every way. It is clearer, more precise, and contains more information. This one manages to make simple concepts become quite difficult.
5 stars (Excellent but starting to get outdated) - Excellent. Hands down the best book out there for cell biology. Gives a thorough look at the exciting unraveling of the cell. Figures are exceptional. However, being now ~3 years old and due to the intense output and growth of scientific literature this book is starting to get outdated. There have been several advances in a number of transport systems (i.e. Nuclear transport and regulation of gene expression). A new edition in the next year or so would hopefully address these issues.
1 stars (Rehash of previous edition to prevent resale.) - The book matches PERFECTLY to the previous edition... with loads of cut and paste of partial paragraphs. The result is that you could never find your way through a class using this edition with the previous edition: curbs the used book market. There is nothing more. No 'cutting edge technology' and minimal new info... not worth a new edition. All the "hard work" of putting together this edition was NOT done by the Authors, but by "hardworking" editors: NOT scientists. It isn't presenting any new science worthy of a new edition... thats just an appeal.

The editing may have taken a lot of work but they obviously had a deadline! The combinations of sentences formed for the new edition from sentences edited from this and that chapter of the old edition are grammatical nightmares!

The illustrations are also second rate.

Why this book is popular must be a source of wonder to the editors. Half baked edition with undeserved popularity.

Worse, the language hashed was difficult to begin with. A biologist who studied from this text would be a giggle to have around.