"Michael Bury’s concise and timely book is must reading for students entering the field or for professionals in cognate fields wondering what has happened in the sociology of health and illness over the last few years." Gary Albrecht, University of Illinois of Chicago "Written in an engaging and accessible style, Health and Illness is outstanding, carefully addressing key classic and contemporary debates within the sociology of health and illness, and illustrating these with the most up-to-date research." Sara Arber, University of Surrey "Michael Bury is one of the most thoughtful observers in medical sociology. He provides an engaging and critical introduction to the concepts and issues surrounding the sociology of health and illness. Both neophytes and seasoned students will benefit greatly from the rich discussions presented here."Peter Conrad, Brandeis University "Health and Illness is a stimulating introduction to the field. It covers the topics that matter most today and raises important questions about how we will view health and illness in the future in response to advances in technology and the growing medical surveillance of the individual." Ellen Annandale, University of Leicester