PrefaceT he two of us were slated to conduct the Fall 1999 doctoral seminar for students in reading education at the University of Georgia. Our plan was to focus on the broad history of reading research, from Thorndike and Huey to the 1970s, to talk about how research has changed, and to determine which of the ideas in those ancient studies are relevant today.All of this changed when David Moore approached Steve at an International Reading Association (IRA) meeting and asked if we were interested in having our doctoral students review the Handbook of Reading Research, Volume III (Handbook). This seemed like an offer we could not refuse, and we gave an enthusiastic yes.What David did not know was that we had 15 students enrolled in the Fall 1999 seminar, with two more coming in the Spring 2000 semester. We had figured that some people would drop out of the project, but none did. The result is an essay book review written by 17 individuals, a possible candidate for a world record.In the beginning, we took the lead in organizing this task. Since the Handbook galleys did not come until late in the Fall 1999 semester, we gathered preliminary readings (e.g., book reviews, chapters from previous handbooks, and encyclopedias of research), and we scrounged prepublication copies of Handbook chapters from friends and various Web sites. (Thanks to all!) We held group meetings and discussed the genre of book reviews and how to synthesize information.The students, however, organized themselves. They decided how to produce the review, how to determine authorship, and how to handle other matters. We decided not to enforce a uniform style, although a committee edited across sections. By the end of this process, we faculty were merely advisors, helping with some spot editing. So this review reflects the thinking of 17 individuals, . Edited by Michael Kamil, Peter B. Mosenthal, P. David Pearson, and Rebecca Barr. 2000. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. 968 pp. ISBN 0-8058-2398-0 US$225.00 hardcover.