Book excerpt: The Histology Handbook is a clear, concise reference book that will provide the user with the information and understanding to assist in the performance and troubleshooting of histology related tasks and help us all succeed in our common pursuit of "the perfect slide". The book contains both basic information to facilitate the understanding of staining theory, as well as specific procedures that can be utilized in the histology laboratory. Additionally, there is a wealth of information regarding the troubleshooting of day to day common issues that can be the cause of sub-optimal results.