The book contains a comprehensive review of all aspects of credit control: analysis and presentation for a decision; structure; monitoring; and damage limitation. It also has chapters on training, computers and capital adequacy. It recognises that different types of banks will apply the basic principles in ways reflecting their overall strategy and nature of their business. It adapts to these, but stresses strong warnings on certain policies or lack thereof. It is thus prescriptive rather than merely descriptive.

The book argues that accountants overemphasise cost and liquidation value, ignore cashflow and value to a going concern; that they would 'rather be precisely wrong than roughly right'. They therefore distort the values of many tangible and intangible assets, and overstate goodwill, with serious distorting effect. The book supports these arguments, illustrates the harm they do, and discusses how values, and their impact, vary - depending on the party banker, shareholder and situation.

This book is a sequel to the author's earlier Thinking About Credit (also published by Macmillan). Once again, he applies his undoubted experience to a number of topics in the area of credit evaluation and management.