Book excerpt: The first issue of Clinics in Chest Medicine to be published with this focus, this issue reviews bronchiectasis from numerous angles to provide comprehensive coverage on this important subject. Epidemiology, airway defense mechanisms, pathogenesis, imaging and genetic causes of bronchiectasis are discussed. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis is addressed, as well as non-tuberculous mycobacteria as a cause of bronchiectasis. Authors examine how to evaluate the success of therapy for bronchiectasis (what endpoints to use) and then discuss a variety of therapy options: inhaled and systemic antibiotic treatment, chest physiotherapy, pharmacologic agents for mucous clearance, antipinflammatory therapy and macrolides. Pulmonary resection and lung transplantation for bronchiectasis are reviewed. Recent advances in Cystic Fibrosis are also discussed.