Qualitative Research in Health: an Intro-

duction by Carol Grbich. Sage, London,

1999, 320 pages, £47á50 (hardback) ISBN

0 761 96103 8, £15á99 (paperback) ISBN

0 761 96104 6.

The layout of this text makes access to the

various sections easy. Part 1 deals with

theory and design, incorporating back-

ground material on epistemology and

ontology, which the new qualitative

researcher will ®nd important as a basis

for their work. In part 2 there is a critique

of a broad range of techniques in data

collection, which serves as an introduc-

tion and which opens up the many possi-

bilities available to the qualitative

researcher for data collection. The various

methodological approaches are considered

in part 3, though these are relatively brief.

Data management is dealt with broadly,

again having some room for further infor-

mation and examples. Overall, this is a

wide-ranging text which covers the funda-

mentals of qualitative research, and which

offers some limited examples for further

reading. As a general text for qualitative

health care research, the book would be

of value. The level for which the

readership is intended should cross the

range from undergraduate to postgraduate

researchers. The writing style is acces-

sible, with jargon being explained where

necessary. Given the target readership of

this book, it may have been useful to

include an example of a qualitative

research proposal to guide the neophyte

researcher. A good text for the qualitative

researcher to accompany more detailed

material from other sources.

Mike Lowry

RGN BEd RNT MEd PGCRM

Senior Lecturer in Nursing

Leeds Metropolitan University

Leeds

England

Basics of Qualitative Research Ð

Techniques and Procedures for Devel-

oping Grounded Theory 2nd Edition by

A. Strauss and J. Corbin. Sage Publica-

tions, Thousand Oaks, 1998, 312 pages,

£18.99, ISBN 0 803 95940 0.

This welcome second edition, published

shortly after the death of Anselm Strauss,

is a valuable resource for all researchers. In

the ®rst edition Strauss, supported by

Corbin, developed his ideas on grounded

theory from those originally described in

his primary publication with Barney

Glaser. Strauss and Corbin have collabor-

ated well in this new edition and her

in¯uence is apparent in the clarity of the

writing style and her ability to apply

theory to context. The book has three

sections. The ®rst, consisting of four chap-

ters, provides background information

de®nitions and key concepts of grounded

theory. Part 2, with 10 chapters, gives

detailed information on coding procedures

and the process of building theory from

data. The ®nal section, containing three

chapters, is concerned with the broader

aspects of grounded theory Ð writing up,

evaluating methodological approaches and

proposing answers to frequently asked

questions.

Corbin recognizes that readers will use

the book to meet different needs with some

requiring guidance on building theory and

others wanting help with qualitative analy-

sis but not necessarily wishing to take this

to its ultimate conclusion. Those more

experienced in the use of grounded theory

may ®nd some of the worked examples

laborious, but for the novice the level of

detail may be helpful in gaining under-

standing of the process. Most chapters

commence with a de®nition of terms and

end with a summary. These are partic-

ularly useful to novice researchers, gradu-

ally introducing speci®c terminology that

is reinforced by discussion within the

content. Experienced researchers may ®nd

the de®nitions a useful source of debate.

The book is a useful resource for all

researchers and valuable as a teaching aid

for those engaged in social and profes-

sional research.

Janice R Gosby

MA(Ed) RGN DipN RCNT CertEd RNT

Professional Of®cer, Education

United Kingdom Central Council for

Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting

London

England

Counselling with Reality Therapy by John

Brickell and Robert Wubbolding. Winslow

Press Ltd, Oxon, 120 pages, £12á95, ISBN

0 863 88215 3.

This slim book provides an introduction

and work programme to counselling with

reality therapy. Many of the examples and

the style of writing is North American

even though the authors have worked

extensively in a number of countries,

including the United Kingdom. In keeping

with many books on counselling, the

techniques described are not validated

and the book will therefore be most useful

for those who already have an interest in

reality therapy or counselling techniques.

It describes the history and development

of reality therapy and the importance of a

therapeutic counselling relationship. The

following chapters contain examples and

work book style sections for the reader to

complete, many of which aid greater

understanding of the theories described.

A number of applications are described

such as individual and group counselling,

work with schools and addictions treat-

ment. The book concludes with a section

on paradoxical techniques. The book is

also is an introduction to certi®cation

programmes and workshops run by the

authors. The application for use within

schools is of particular interest and I am

sure many teachers would bene®t from

considering the ideas outlined, such as the

need for lead management as opposed to

boss management.

I would only recommend it for those

with a particular interest or those wishing

to gain a working knowledge of reality

therapy.

Ms Georgina Gordon

MBA RMN SRN

Executive Nurse Director

Swansea NHS Trust

Swansea

Wales

Nursing History Review Vol. 8 by Joan E.

Lynaugh. Springer Publishing Company,

New York, 1999, 224 pages, $36á00, ISBN

0 826 11317 6.

This book is published annually as the

of®cial Journal of the American Associ-

ation for the History of Nursing. It contains

eight articles and 16 book reviews. The

articles form an interesting range of items,

and include organizational, management,

obstetric, global issues and institutional

nursing. The range of articles enables

insight into issues that are relevant for

nursing, midwifery, health visiting and the

professions associated with medicine,

Media reviews

1036 Ó 2000 Blackwell Science Ltd, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 32(4), 1034±1037