I hope you’ll agree with me when I say:
The human body is a complex machine made up of hundreds of parts. Understanding the parts and how everything functions is imperative for healthcare work and just keeping yourself healthy.
The best anatomy books take into consideration your learning style. They also present the information in a way that you can easily understand. Anatomy has fascinated human beings for centuries. The idea of what inner processes are responsible for the body’s function and its failings keep scientists enthralled and searching for further answers. As suspected from the beginning, comprehension of anatomy is vital to the fields of modern medicine, therapy, and a myriad of other specialties.
Books concerning anatomy are quite abundant. Choosing one book to suit a specific need for knowledge can be overwhelming. It is easy if you can identify what type of book you require based on your own personality and goals. Whether you learn by analysis of clinical studies or by visualization of images, it is important that the book you choose caters to that.
We present ten excellent options of anatomy books with pertinent features and discussion of the authors to lend insight.
Best anatomy books 2019
| Book name | Pages | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Anatomy Coloring Book | 384 | 18.49$ | Check Price |
| Atlas of Human Anatomy | 640 | 78.80$ | Check Price |
| The Complete Human Body | 528 | 28.82$ | Check Price |
| Human Anatomy and Physiology | 1264 | 208.98$ | Check Price |
| Anatomy and Physiology for Dummies | 400 | 21.10$ | Check Price |
| Human Body: An Illustrated Guide | 448 | 11.71$ | Check Price |
| Gray's Anatomy | 1562 | 174$ | Check Price |
| Clinically Oriented Anatomy | 1168 | 11.44$ | Check Price |
| Anatomy: A Photographic Atlas | 560 | 74.88$ | Check Price |
| Sobotta Atlas | 842 | 83.10$ | Check Price |
The Anatomy Coloring Book – An Easy Way to Visualize Anatomy
This coloring book is the best-selling coloring book for human anatomy. It is ideal for all people who want to learn more about the anatomy of the human body, from students to those who simply want to gain a deeper understanding of how their own body works.
This book is organized based on each body system. This allows you to focus on one system at a time and master it before moving onto the next. The figures are hand-drawn and easy to color in. You can use the color-key system that is part of the book to learn the anatomical terminology easier.
In addition to pictures you can color, there is also text in this book to describe the different structures. When you use coloring as a learning tool, you are making visual associations with important terminology. This also allows you to engage in kinesthetic learning while you assimilate the information.
This book is written in English. There are no translated versions in other languages. This book as 384 pages.
About the author
Wynn Kapit and Lawrence M. Elson created this coloring book. Kapit illustrated and designed this coloring book. He worked with two college professors to develop the content. Elson worked on the organization and content of this book. He also provided the text and sketches. Elson has a bachelor’s degree in zoology and he is a PhD. He has a history of teaching anatomy and physiology on the college level.
Atlas of Human Anatomy – Best anatomy book Anatomy from an Expert’s Perspective
This book provides a visual and detailed foundation of human anatomy. This book uses an organization technique that makes it easy to build upon the knowledge you gain from previous sections. The organization is by region, but then it is further broken down by the systems that are in each region of the body.
This book was written from the perspective of a clinician. It provides the standard anatomy terminology, visual representations of the topics and the details regarding how the organs, systems and other structures function alone and together. Use the self-testing exercises to see which topics you might need to brush up on.
In addition to the text, this book contains various other elements that help to reinforce what you are learning. This can be found on the website that is associated with this book. You will learn how to gain access to this supplemental information inside the book.
The associated website includes 54 bonus plates, dissection videos, editor discussion, 150 label quizzes, 3D models and other videos. You can use this information as you go through each section to test and strengthen your knowledge.
This book is written in English. There does not appear to be any translated versions. It has 640 pages.
About the author
Dr. Frank H. Netter, MD wrote this book. It was in 1931 when he received his degree and became a medical doctor. He was a celebrated medical illustrator and surgeon. He released the first edition of this book in 1989. At this time, he was a New York Academy of Medicine fellow. It was in 1957 when he was published for the first time.
The Complete Human Body – An Easy-to-Follow Guide to Human Anatomy
This book is a type of illustrated guide that introduces many of the foundational elements of anatomy and physiology. What you will learn ranges from the development of the body, to how it functions, to how various health disorders develop and affect the body.
This is the second version of this book. The author has made updates so there is new information compared to what people learned in the first edition. This book is ideal for those taking college courses in anatomy and physiology. It delves beyond the most basic concepts to provide a deeper understanding of the body structures and how these structures function.
The artwork is computer-generated, ensuring an optimal level of quality and clarity. The images come from many sources, including microscopic and medical imaging. You get to see visual representations of what you are learning to reinforce the knowledge.
The images show bodily processes and anatomical structures in great detail. As you read about these, you can refer to the photos to see exactly how they look and function in your body.
This book is written in English. It is unknown if there are translated versions available. It has 528 pages.
About the author
Dr. Alice Roberts wrote this book. She is an osteoarcheologist, anatomist, paleopathologist and physical anthropologist. She is also an accomplished author and television presenter. Dr. Alice serves as a professor at the University of Birmingham where she teaches public engagement in science. She also writes for London’s The Observer, covering various scientific topics.
Human Anatomy and Physiology – A Guided Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology
This is a textbook that is commonly used for two-semester anatomy and physiology classes. However, due to its setup, you can use it when you want to do self-study into anatomy and physiology.
Each chapter has a visual roadmap that helps students to guide themselves through the material in the chapter. It also shows concepts that are related to each other in other chapters.
The chapters all build upon each other. Each chapter provides the foundation necessary to learn the information in the following chapter. There are opportunities to test your knowledge in each chapter.
There are images and pictures throughout the chapters. These provide a visual representation of various organs and other parts of the body to make it easier to understand their purpose and function.
This book has a related book called Mastering A & P. It is by the same authors. This supplemental book is sold separately. It works with the lessons in this textbook to help students to reinforce the information and test their overall comprehension of it.
This book is written in English. There does not appear to be any translated versions in other languages. It has 1,264 pages.
About the author
This book was written by Elaine N. Marieb and Dr. Katja Hoehn. Marieb was an anatomy and physiology teacher. She has written several books, study guides and lab manuals for anatomy and physiology students. Dr. Hoehn was a biology professor for 20 years. She has written multiple research papers and has created study and learning materials in the scientific fields.
Anatomy and Physiology for Dummies – A Simplified Version of Complex Topics
This book simplifies anatomy and physiology so that the topics and concepts are easy to understand. It teaches you about anatomical function and terminology. This book focuses on the basics more than any advanced concepts. This makes it ideal for those who are just starting to learn about anatomy and physiology.
You might consider reading this book before taking your class to develop foundational knowledge. It can also work as a supplement to your textbook. You might also consider this book if you just want to better understand your body and how it works.
This book presents the following information:
• Learn and understand the common terminology associated with anatomy and physiology
• Explore the different systems of the body and how they work together to keep you alive
• Explore the anatomical structures of the body from head to toe
• Get a deeper understanding of how the systems and structures of the body function when you are sick and healthy
• Learn about how the body repairs itself after illness or injury
• Learn about how diseases affect the body
This book is written in English. However, there is a Spanish version available. This book has 400 pages.
About the author
Erin Odya is the author of this book. She has written a variety of anatomy and physiology books for the “For Dummies” series. Odya is a teacher that provides lessons on anatomy and physiology. Maggie Norris wrote this book with Odya. She is a freelance science writer.
Human Body – An Illustrated Guide to Every Part of the Human Body and How It Works
Is an excellent introductory book, which provides an overview of the human anatomy and includes over 700 color photos and illustrations of every part of the body, from head to foot.
This colorful guide contains two parts. In the first part, book explores topics about body systems. It begins with the regional atlas of the body, which illustrates major areas of the entire body, and, following the atlas, each body system is examined individually. The second part of the book consists of descriptions of the most common body disorders, so the reader can learn a lot of new useful information about diseases. Moreover, there is also a glossary, which is included in the book to facilitate the understanding of medical terms. In addition, all of the colorful images are accompanied by clear descriptions.
In case you are interested in human body structure and you are looking for a good anatomy guide, this book is a really excellent choice. This awesome anatomy book provides readers with the great opportunity to learn and understand a lot of important and useful information about the human body, its various systems and also helps to get knowledge about most common body diseases.
About the author
Martyn Page has many years’ experience contributing to and editing medical reference books, including DK’s Complete Home Medical Guide and the Illustrated Medical Dictionary.
Gray’s Anatomy book – a thorough anatomical reference
Gray’s Anatomy is among the longest-published books, featuring 150 uninterrupted years. Its original creators were author Dr. Henry Gray and illustrator Dr. Henry Vandyke Carter. Their original work took into account that their audience was mostly comprised of surgeons. Anatomy is a surprisingly dynamic science, and Gray’s Anatomyreflects a modern understanding from international experts. This comes complete with state-of-the-art radiographic, CT, ultrasonic and MR images, many of which were unheard of when the book was first published.
Gray’s Anatomy includes an expert Consult eBook version with your purchase that you can download on any of your devices. The eBook provides further information beyond the book as well as a key to access content that is already included.
Advantages
A large inclusion of case studies makes the anatomical information highly relatable- The book organizes material according to a location on the body. This system makes finding information easy.
- Electronic enhancements such as tables and videos help you stay up to date in the field of anatomy.
- Gray’s Anatomy has a detail-oriented premise and includes over 1,000 new photographs.
Disadvantage
It is geared more towards the practitioner than the student.
About the author
Henry Gray was born in London in 1827, and became a medical student in 1842. He eventually became a surgeon and his book, Gray’s Anatomy, specifically targeted this cross-section of practitioners. His book was known as the most detailed compilation on human anatomy of the time period. Current editions have sought to retain the degree of detail and thoroughness of the original version. He died in 1861 while being considered for an esteemed position as the assistant surgeon of St. George’s Hospital.
Clinically Oriented Anatomy – a good textbook for first-year medical students
Right from its start you see evidence of the care this book takes to explain the importance of anatomy and to describe which approach the authors intend to use to present the material. The text and figures closely align with clinical applications. Clinically Oriented Anatomy, just as its title suggests, relates information so you can envision its use in dentistry, surgery, physical therapy, and general medicine. The sixth edition features new figures and enhancement of previous illustrations.
Advantages
- Blue Boxes make it easy to find clinical relevance as they point out situations calling for physical exams, medical procedures, or other diagnostic tools.
- There are Bottom Line summaries that make prioritizing study points much easier. These have been refined in the sixth edition
- Purchase includes access to a companion Website where you will find animated videos and where you can interact via USMLE-style questions.
- This book is a regional approach to teaching and reviewing anatomy.
Disadvantage
- The text is dense in some areas, which makes the Bottom Line summaries and Blue Boxes that much more useful.
About the author
Keith Leon Moore was born in October 1925 in Ontario. He served as Chair of Anatomy at the University of Toronto from 1976 to 1984. He co-wrote both Clinically Oriented Anatomy and Essential Clinical Anatomy with Arthur F. Dalley and Anne M.R. Agur. He won the Henry Gray/Elsevier Distinguished Educator Award in 2007 and has a particular interest in embryology.
Anatomy: A Photographic Atlas – an excellent surgical companion
If you have ever been in the dissection lab and thought a textbook illustration looked nothing like the cadaver before your eyes, this is the book for you. Its defining feature is a full-color photograph of real tissue accompanies each anatomical structure. Moreover, schematics and traditional illustrations are included so you can cross-reference from schematic to photograph to live cadaver. As in the other books mentioned, Anatomy: A Photographic Atlas has a regional organization. There are over 1200 images for illustrative purposes and to emphasize clinical cases.
Advantages
- Photographs of live cadavers makes it easier to recognize spatial dimensions when performing surgery and even when in the dissection lab.
- There is a singular focus on functional connections between organs and between organs and tissues. This helps many people more easily visualize anatomical structures.
- Illustrations are layered so structures reveal themselves just as they do with each cut in dissections or surgical operations.
- This is an atlas comprised wholly of illustrations and labels. You must obtain any material content from another source.
About the author
Born in Germany in September of 1921, Johannes Wolfgang Rohen is an anatomist with special interest in the eye, eyelids and glaucoma. He recreated functional systems of the eye which went into the foundation of the science of Ophthalmology. Among various other rewards, he won The Alcon Research Institute Award in 1985 and again in 1990. He promoted a functional approach to morphology for various systems like the eye, embryo and nervous system.
Sobotta: Atlas of Human Anatomy Single Volume Edition – a greatly illustrated atlas
Sobotta, now in its fifteenth edition, upgraded many of its black-and-white images to color with the thirteenth edition. Its fourteenth edition book comes with access to e-sobotta.com, which is an examination platform to enhance learning. The fourteenth edition is unique in that it consists of a single volume. The book’s heavy emphasis on exam-relevant material makes it a favorite for premed and preclinical medical students.
You will find plenty of clinical set-ups in this textbook as well as a focus on an exam-style presentation. The book is accompanied by 200 tables on muscular and nervous systems.
Advantages
- Illustration quizzes allow you to assess your progress.
- Sobotta has over 2000 figures to assist the learning process.
- The book is organized by body region in an attempt to more closely follow dissection in the classroom.
Disadvantage
- It does not have the convenience of other editions whereby information is divided into multiple volumes. This could also be an advantage, however.
About the author
Reinhard Putz, an Austro-German anatomist, was born in Innsbruck in 1942. He received his doctorate in 1968 at the University of Innsbruck. In his early career, he headed the anatomy department at both the University of Munich and at the University of Freiburg. He focused particularly on the musculoskeletal system and joint-related issues. He has won numerous rewards, including membership to the 2004 European Academy of Science and Art, the 2005 Pauwels Medal of the German Society for Orthopedics, and the 2008 Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art.
How to Choose a Good Book on Anatomy
Now that you have seen some of the best anatomy books, it is time to determine which one is best for you.
The endeavor to find the best anatomy book is not completely straightforward. Of course, you will want to take into account your level, your learning style, your budget, and your course specifications if applicable. However, it is likely no one book can satisfy every need you will have in the area of anatomy. We helped compile a list of the stand-out books that give comprehensive coverage of anatomy with additional media and tools to enhance your education. The information presented here will make the decision process simpler.
What Level of Anatomy Are You Studying?
The best book will provide information about the level of anatomy you are studying. For example, there are vast differences between nursing school anatomy books and those used by high school students.
You can usually determine the level by looking at the back of the book. This will provide insight into what you will learn and the general premise of the book.
Does Your Professor Require Specific Books?
If you are taking an anatomy class at school, your professor likely has a list of books that are required for the course. It is imperative that you get these anatomy books to ensure that you can follow the lectures and complete assignments. However, you can add supplemental books to reinforce what you are learning.
What is Your Level of Understanding of Anatomy and Physiology?
How much anatomy have you already learned? You want to assess your level of knowledge to make sure that you choose a book that is not too far advanced. This also prevents you from getting a book that covers the topics that you already know.
You can look at the table of contents to see the topics that the book will cover. This information is typically available on most websites where you can buy books.
If you are getting a book to help you with your anatomy class, make sure that the topics in the book follow along with your required textbook for the class. This ensures that the book you get will serve as a viable supplement to what you are learning in class.
What Type of Learner Are You?
There are seven primary learning styles. Knowing the learning styles that you prefer will help you to choose the books that present the information in the best way for you. The following are the types of learning styles:
• Visual: You learn best when books have images, pictures, and spatial elements.
• Verbal: You learn best when you hear words, so an audiobook may be the best choice.
• Logical: You learn best when books present information using logic, systems, and reasoning.
• Solitary: You learn best when the book provides all of the information that you need for self-study.
• Aural: You learn best by incorporating sound into your study sessions.
• Physical: Books that provide hands-on activities will be the most beneficial for you.
• Social: Books that incorporate group activities will help you the most.
It is possible to have more than one learning style. Think about how you learn the best, and the materials and lesson methods that you prefer. This will help you to narrow down the learning styles that you use the most. Then, all you have to do is find the anatomy books that cater to your learning style.
What Do the Reviews Say?
Reading reviews on the books that interest you can help you to see how much they helped other people who used them. It is important that you read a lot of reviews so that you get a complete picture of people’s opinions on the books. Ideally, you want to read no less than 20 reviews per book.
Make sure that you are reading the good and the bad. Consider your needs, the anatomy topics you need to learn and your learning style as you are reading the reviews. This will help you to get the most perspective from the reviews that you read.
What is Your Textbook Budget?
You likely have a budget that you cannot exceed your books. You want to determine your budget before you start shopping. Then, when you are shopping, you can narrow down your choices to the books that are within your budget.
This ensures that you only find the books that you can afford. It also reduces the number of books you see, helping to make your choice easier.
Are Your Familiar with the Author?
If you like a particular author and their writing style, it is a good idea to find other books that they have written that teach you anatomy. This helps to ensure that you will enjoy the book and get some benefit from reading it. You can typically search the author’s name directly to find a list of the books they have written on the subject.
Does the Book Offer Additional Resources?
Some books come with a CD-ROM or a website that you can use to enhance what you learn from the book. These may include quizzes, videos, supplemental information or interactive activities. The purpose of these resources is to reinforce the information in the book and give you different ways to learn the information.
Depending on your learning style, having these additional resources may make it easier for you to retain the information that you learn. Consider the types of resources you most benefit from and seek out books that provide them.
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