Even though it's now 9 years old and the field is growing since then, I'll offer.
Joslin's Diabetes Mellitus, 14th Edition
typical price: US $260 - $290 Publisher/Vendor: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW)
Author: C.R. Kahn, MD, Gordon C. Weir, MD, Alan M. Jacobson, MD, et. al.
Copyright: 2004
Pages: 1,224
Size: 8.5" x 11"
Cover: Red
The "bible" on diabetes mellitus by more than 80 noted experts from the Joslin Diabetes Center and other leading institutions worldwide. This edition includes a new eleven-chapter section on hormone action and the regulation of metabolism. The section on definition and pathogenesis now includes chapters on genetics, diabetes in Asia and Africa, and diabetes in U.S. minority groups. Other new chapters cover retinopathy, cardiovascular disease, wound healing, and treatment of women with diabetes. All of the Fourteenth Edition's figures have been completely updated.
It's a darn shame it's so expensive. Don't bother with early editions like the 13th ed (with blue cover). It's out-of-date. If you don't have the 14th ed, then I advise to wait until the new 15th ed comes out. I am looking forward to the 15th ed.
Note that there are 'free downloads' on the internet. I found several and didn't use. Are they safe and legit? I don't know. Maybe not. I like hard cover books much more than the risk of corrupt files and viruses. Maybe others have torrented it. Not me. If you know something, tell us.
Gretchen Becker's The First Year Type 2 Diabetes: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed was invaluable to me in months after dx.
Richard Jackson & Amy Tenderich, Know Your Numbers, Outlive Your Diabetes: 5 Essential Health Factors You Can Master to Enjoy a Long and Healthy Life. Sensible, clear. Would be a good book to re-read every couple years.
Sounds like a comprehensive book, but I would certainly wait for the 15th Edition before paying that kind of money for something 9 years old. Nine years is a lot in terms of changes and new information.
I bought Pumping Insulin, and found it very disappointing, beyond a useful paragraph here or there. IMO, you would be better served reading or re-reading the instruction manual for your pump. John Walsh writes about diabetes like a corporate lawyer or bureaucrat. I enjoyed the other titles mentioned, but didn't bother withUsing Insulin.
The definitive medical textbook is 'The International Textbook of Diabetes Mellitus' - a Wiley publication. It is 2 volumes (2070 pages) and rather pricey - US $720. I have the first volume, and have to have a medical dictionary close at hand to read any of it.
The most 'readable' book about diabetes I've read is 'Cheating Destiny' by Jim Hirsch. His brother, Irl Hirsch, is a noted diabetologist in the Pacific Northwest. The book is majorly excellent.
I actually found Type 1 for Dummies pretty good. It correlated with a lot of information I'd seen elsewhere, and gave a nice overview. It even goes into LADA and MODY...
