On the whole this is a good book for someone looking to get an overview of M and A. It is well written and reasonably well organized, with an interesting discussion of recent transactions and trends. However, the book continues to suffer from some of the problems in earlier editions. It omits subjects that one would expect to find in an effective M and A textbook. These include integration, alternative strategies to M and A such as JVs, a discussion of how acquisitions support business strategies, how target companies can be identified, target firm contact strategies, etc., how to conduct due diligence, how to build M and A financial models, negotiation strategies, sophisticated valuation methods, etc. There are a number of other books which do a much better job in addressing these areas rather than providing an overview of industry trends, etc. Examples of such books include Fred Weston's M&A (the brief edition) and Donald Depamphilis (?) book Mergers, Acquisitions, and other Restructuring. There are books on this subject that are gems, however, Gaughan's isn't' one of them.