This brief edited book forms part of the ‘Review of Psychiatry’ series edited by John M. Oldham and Michelle B. Riba. There are five chapters in total: cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for schizophrenia, CBT for bipolar disorder, computer-assisted CBT, CBT for patients with physical illness and CBT for children and adolescents. Each chapter is written clearly, with a range of clinical examples, tables and diagrams that bring the subject matter to life. The everyday practice of CBT is clearly in the mind of the authors, as is the importance of evaluating the evidence base. Each of the areas covered has shown an enormous rise in both research and practice over the past decade, and they hold great potential for the future. Therefore, reviews of this kind are extremely timely and relevant. Be warned, however, that the book does not stand alone as a reference because of its limited breadth. For example, at the front there is an overview of the chapters within the book but there is no introductory chapter on CBT to set the groundwork of its principles and practice across a wide range of presenting problems. The limited coverage also makes the title of the book slightly misleading and its cost slightly too high. Nevertheless, I would recommend that health practitioners involved in these emerging areas read the well-researched, accessible chapters in this book now while they still represent the cutting edge of contemporary CBT.