Book excerpt: This two-volume book provides an overview of physical techniques used to characterize the structure of solid materials, on the one hand, and to investigate the reactivity of their surface, on the other. Therefore this book is a must-have for anyone working in fields related to surface reactivity. Among the latter, and because of its most important industrial impact, catalysis has been used as the directing thread of the book. After the preface and a general introduction to physical techniques by M. Che and J.C. Vedrine, two overviews on physical techniques are presented by G. Ertl and Sir J.M. Thomas for investigating model catalysts and porous catalysts, respectively. The book is organized into four parts: Molecular/Local Spectroscopies, Macroscopic Techniques, Characterization of the Fluid Phase (Gas and/ or Liquid), and Advanced Characterization. Each chapter focuses upon the following important themes: overview of the technique, most important parameters to interpret the experimental data, practical details, applications of the technique, particularly during chemical processes, with its advantages and disadvantages, conclusions.