Originally published in 1968, Kempe's was regarded as a model of concise, authoritative explanation paired with exquisite illustrations capturing a single-step in the operation with the critical anatomical structures highlighted in color. Long revered by neurosurgeons in practice and in training and used both in and out of the operating room, Kempe's became a classic. The Second Edition signals the rebirth of a classic text, updated and redrawn for the microsurgical era by a stellar group of internationally recognized authorities in neurosurgery. Two volumes continue Kempe's "top-down" approach with Vol. I covering cranial, cerebral, and intracranial vascular disease while Vol. II covers the posterior fossa, lumbar spine, peripheral nerves as well as new chapters on carotid endartectomy and spinal instrumentation. The operations included in the text are those to which all neurosurgeons in training are exposed and those that represent the majority of cases encountered in daily practice. Emphasis is on surgical anatomy and open operative procedures. Each volume contains 278 color illustrations with critical structures and anatomical landmarks highlighted in color for quick recognition. All of the figures have been redrawn to reflect both contemporary instrumentation and approaches as well as the favorite teaching points of the authors. In addition, the two-volume boxed set is comprehensive yet not burdensome, allowing for portability and use both in and out of the operating room. Updated for a new generation, Kempe's second edition maintains many of the features that made it a timeless classic - chapters written in an authoritative voice of a single neurosurgical expert, brevity and conciseness in text paired with instructive, clear line drawings, and a portability that will allow the books to be valuable references in and out of the operating room.