This text presents the techniques of general surgery operations, encompassing diagnostic laparoscopy, hepatobiliary, esophageal, gastric, upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, and hernia operations. It is edited by Garth Ballantyne, MD, with an international group of contributors who are known leaders in the field of laparoscopy. By limiting the atlas only to general surgery operations, the text has a more limited audience than one that describes the broader topic of surgical endoscopy. However, this allows Dr Ballantyne to take a novel approach by thoroughly covering a given topic. For example, there are 4 chapters describing laparoscopic treatment of gastroesophageal disease. Likewise, the text describes 15 different laparoscopic bowel resections for a variety of disease processes. Comparing Nissen, Toupet, and Hill fundoplications in 1 text is helpful. This thoroughness is a valuable component of the atlas. There are occasional limitations to this technique though, as seen in the 2 chapters comparing Nissen fundoplication done with laparoscopic coagulating shears vs electrocautery in which the differences are so subtle that they make no true difference in performance of the operation.