Book excerpt: The neurologic examination is often viewed as a daunting monstrosity, byzantine in nature, complex to teach and cumbersome to learn. However, neurologic conditions are not uncommon in GP and hospital practice, and a grounded understanding of pertinent neurologic symptoms, signs and conditions is absolutely vital.This book serves to demystify the seemingly convoluted processes behind the neurologic examination, with chapters focussing on bringing the reader back to the basics, breaking complicated techniques down into its individual steps, supplemented by clear and concise explanation of neurologic principles. The book discusses neurologic signs and symptoms commonly encountered in our daily practice, with flow-charts, pictures and tables to help the reader learn, shape and build a solid foundation in neurology. Tips from examiner and specific case examples are included to improve the reader's grasp of the topics.This easy-to-read guidebook is essential for all medical students and physicians seeking to prepare for their professional examinations, to improve on their care of our patients, or simply to understand the wonderful inner-workings of neurology a little better.Well written textbooks which focus on neurologic examination and written in a palatable manner for the non-neurologist, are rare and few. They are often admixed with other non-neurologic topics (e.g. respiratory, cardiac or abdominal examination), with superficial and cursory discussion of neurologic conditions.At the other end of the spectrum, neurology textbooks are often written in a manner better suited to neurologists than to non-neurologists, struggling to better understand the basic concepts.In my years of teaching students from all 3 local medical schools studying for their undergraduate medical degrees, and medical officers preparing for the MRCP PACES examination, a common problem they encountered was the lack of a palatable yet informative neurologic text which helps them understand the concepts without murdering their interest in the topic. I believe this book serves to fill that gap, and to hopefully better prepare our doctors in their careers, and to nurture their love and interest in this subject I so love.