Book excerpt: The European Respiratory Society (ERS) Handbook of Respiratory Medicine, now in its third edition, is a concise, compact and easy-to-read guide to each of the key areas in respiratory medicine. Its 20 sections, written by clinicians and researchers at the forefront of the field, explain the structure and function of the respiratory system, its disorders and how to treat them. The Handbook is a must-have for anyone who intends to remain up to date in the field, and to have within arm's reach a reference that covers everything from the basics to the latest developments in respiratory medicine.