The 39th edition of Gray's Anatomy by Standring is one of my most frequently used anatomy books. About thirty years ago, I purchased my first Gray's, a 15th edition in black and white. Over the years, I have purchased a total of five different iterations of this masterpiece.

It is dry, general, and not an easy read. It is, however, the only anatomy book I have come across that mentions "relations"—and writes them out—religiously. Relations refer to neighboring or adjacent muscles, bones, ligaments, nerves, and other structures.

Of course, some areas of the body get more attention than others, but as general works go, this is an excellent book.

In my opinion, it is a must-have. For that very reason, I tell my students, "If you want to get by with just one anatomy book, purchase Gray's."

Please note that I spend most of my time studying the integumentary, muscular, skeletal, nervous, and circulatory systems. The other systems are interesting, but not at the top of my list of systems to learn about.

—Willem