In 1961, Ferrier (Wellington, N. Z.) began a study of the condensation of phcnylboronic acid with the diol groupings of various glycosides, and since then, as a result of research by him and many other workers, the subject has developed rapidly and has afforded information that is of great potential value to synthetic carbohydrate chemists; Ferrier now provides us with a fascinating account of the progress made to date in the study of carbohydrate boronates. This unifying picture of the use of these cyclic, protected sugar derivatives should afford considerable help to the chemist searching for novel approaches in synthesis by use of these versatile protecting groups.