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CHOICE Review

This is the fourth edition of the venerable CRC Press handbook, which dates back to the beginnings of practical holography. It follows the broad outlines of the first edition (CH, Jan'89, 26-2690), which was an encyclopedic treatment of holography, and benefits from the incorporation of the results of a broad group of incremental advances. Introductory material at a semi-quantitative level treats the ideas of interference and diffraction, the core of holographic physics, and includes a brief history of holography. Before entering the "how to" section, the authors include discussions of safety considerations and practical suggestions of the kinds of material and equipment that will be required. Most of the 600-plus-page book contains detailed information and instructions relating to construction and testing processes. The authors consider a broad variety of specialized holograhic instruments and their unique uses. The text is filled with drawings, pictures, and other visual supports. The reference listings are extensive, and a good glossary is also included. This is the kind of book that will be used often and will be especially useful for student projects. It belongs in all college libraries. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. --Kenneth L. Schick, Union College (NY)