The Guide claims to be 83rd in a series of editions inaugurated by the fictional Dr. Thackery T. Lambshead in 1915, and contains generally humorous entries (in varying degrees of darkness) with disease descriptions by several popular authors such as Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore and Michael Moorcock, which together detail the "secret medical history" of the 20th Century. In 2004, the book was shortlisted for a Hugo Award for Best Related Book and a World Fantasy Award for Best Anthology.