Review of the hardback: 'To judge from its title, Janos Kornai and Karen Eggleston have written a book about health care reform in Eastern Europe. In fact, they have done much more. Following their own axiom of transparency, they begin by setting out goals of health care and other social support systems in a fresh way, and go on to apply the goals to the practical tasks of health care financing and organization. In so doing, they make a large contribution to a small literature, a comparative analytical treatment of many countries' health care systems together with advice for the would-be reformer.' Joseph P. Newhouse, Harvard University

Review of the hardback: 'A book bringing together a lifelong student of socialism and a highly-trained health economist was likely to produce either a major disconnect or to provide intellectual fireworks through novel ways of dissecting the issues and provocative insights into old problems. Lovers of fireworks should read on.' Nicholas Barr, London School of Economics and Political Science

Review of the hardback: '[It] gives the reader a number of provocative insights into the health care challenges of the coming decade in Eastern Europe.' Health Affairs