Book excerpt: This book is an update and extension of the classic textbook by Ludwig Prandtl, Essentials of Fluid Mechanics. It is based on the 10th German edition with additional material included. Chapters on wing aerodynamics, heat transfer, and layered flows have been revised and extended, and there are new chapters on fluid mechanical instabilities and biomedical fluid mechanics. References to the literature have been kept to a minimum, and the extensive historical citations may be found by referring to previous editions. This book is aimed at science and engineering students who wish to attain an overview of the various branches of fluid mechanics. It will also be useful as a reference for researchers working in the field of fluid mechanics.