Book excerpt: With an emphasis on set-up and execution and lessons learned from expert practitioners, this concise, practical guide for residents and fellows presents the essentials for both common and complex spine surgery. Proceeding anatomically from the cervical to the sacroiliac, and including chapters on spinal tumors, infection and revision surgery, nearly 40 different procedures are highlighted, from corpectomy, arthroplasty and laminectomy to percutaneous screws, decompression and fusion. Chapters include all the information a resident will need to know: indications and contraindications, imaging and diagnosis, OR set-up and instrumentation selection, the specific operative technique, post-operative protocols, and clinical pearls and pitfalls. Radiographs and full-color intraoperative photographs accompany each procedure. Whether suturing dura or performing a lateral interbody fusion, spinal surgery is a technical pursuit, and having a firm grasp of the details can ultimately determine the procedure's success. Written and edited by veterans in orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery, The Resident's Guide to Spine Surgery is just the detailed, user-friendly resource for up-and-coming clinicians looking to develop and expand their surgical expertise.