Doctor Who The Handbook: The Sixth Doctor

, often referred to as simply The Sixth Doctor Handbook,  is the second in the Handbook series by David J Howe, Mark Stammers and Stephen James Walker — the major contribution by Doctor Who Books to the world of professionally published Doctor Who reference works.

The book is highly regarded as a significant work of Doctor Who scholarship and is used as one of the main reference works for several later reference projects, perhaps most ubiquitously Shannon Sullivan's A Brief History of (Time) Travel website and several issues of Doctor Who Magazine Special Edition, which in turn are two of the major resources used by this wiki.

Subject matter
Like all in the Handbook series, it is divided into three major sections. The first presents a series of snippets from interviews with principles involved in the creation of the persona of the Sixth Doctor; the second gives detailed notes about every televised adventure of this Doctor; and the last concerns itself with behind-the-scenes developments during this Doctor's era.

Publisher's summary
"DOCTOR WHO is the world's longest running science fiction television series. Each Handbook will provide both a broad overview and a detailed analysis of one phase of the programme's history.

"Colin Baker's tenure as the Doctor was brief, but coincided with one of DOCTOR WHO's most turbulent times. The programme's audience ratings were falling, its future was in doubt — particularly during an eighteen-month absence from the screen — and, in the end, Colin Baker's departure was abrupt and marked by recriminations.  The Sixth Doctor's personality seemed to reflect this uncertainty: he was moody and unpredictable." -- From the back cover of the first edition

Notable features
This volume includes an introduction by Colin Baker and a particularly detailed examination of the making of Revelation of the Daleks.