Book excerpt: This book provides all the essential and best elements of Kidger's many courses taught worldwide on lens and optical design. It is written in a direct style that is compact, logical, and to the point--a tutorial in the best sense of the word. "I read my copy late last year and read it straight through, cover to cover. In fact, I read it no less than three times. Its elegant expositions, valuable insights, and up-front espousal of pre-design theory make it an outstanding work. It's in the same league with Conrady and Kingslake." Warren Smith.