Genetic Analysis of Animal Development

This book has become sort of a classic, for anyone who wants to learn about developmental biology from the point of view of genetics (as opposed to classical embryology), this is the place to start. One strength of this book is that it is stand-along, you don't need to know anything about developmental biology to be able to read it. Anyone with a general knowledge of genetics and molecular biology will have no problem. Another great strength is the writing, it is not only clear but also somehow easy and enjoyable to read, it's the kind of book you can read even if you are tired from a hard day in the lab. The only real flaw in this book is that by now its getting a bit dated, the last edition came out in 1992, which is why I only give it four stars. Of course, the fundamentals haven't changed, so its still an excellent way to learn about the genetic approach to studying development, but it should not be viewed as necessarily the state of the art in terms of what is known. I think we're all looking forward to the next edition!