Edited by Timothy B. Bell and Arnold M. Wright

AICPA, 210 pages, $25 for AICPA members, $27 for nonmembers

Review by Alexander A.H. Bohtling, CPA, retired from Deloitte & Touche LLP

This book, published by the AICPA in collaboration with the Auditing Section of the American Accounting Association, explicitly covers the all-important relationship of the three subjects bearing the book's title. As the book points out, the primary object is to examine the role and influence auditing research had and currently has on practitioners and educators.

Audit problems in this country and abroad are well covered, and collaboration of educators and auditing and accounting practitioners is explained in substantial detail. The auditing and accounting evolution from the past century to the present era is summarized and the leaders in this field as well as specific articles in leading accounting publications are referred to.

This book, besides the introductory chapter, consists of six chapters--risk evaluations; audit judgment; audit sampling; analytical procedures; communication with users; and, summary, obstacles and future directions. These are followed by a substantial bibliography. The all-important subjects of risk orientation and judgement are strongly emphasized.

The authors of this book are educators from numerous universities and some practitioners from leading accounting firms. It was edited by Timothy B. Bell of KPMG Peat Marwick and Arnold M. Wright of Boston College, with significant participation by the KPMG Peat Marwick Foundation.