"user friendly, written in an easy, unpretentious style, with illuminating quotations and relevant tables and references. For students or any reader interested in addiction, this book is a reliable crash course. For those who work in the field, it is a substantial contribution to the debate about what addiction is." (Addiction Today, September 2001)

"This classic text .... should be of value to any person who wishes to add to their understanding ofthe area, whether for the purposes of treatment, prevention, harm
reduction or for personal education." (Addiction, Vol.97 2002)

"...wide ranging and well argued..a reliable crash course..." (Addiction Today, September/October 2001) 

"…It’s a damn good read…stuffed with interesting anecdotes, quotations and data…" (European Eating Disorders Review, Vol.10, No.1-2, 2002)

"…a wonderfully comprehensive reference book." (Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy, Vol.31, 2003)