Book excerpt: Metal phosphonate chemistry is a highly interdisciplinary field, as it encompasses several other areas, such as materials chemistry, gas storage, pharmaceutics, corrosion control, classical chemical synthesis, X-ray crystallography, powder diffraction, etc. It has also acquired additional significance due to "Metal-Organic Frameworks", as evidenced by the hundreds of papers published each year. This book fills the gap in the literature by summarising, in a concise way, the latest developments in the field. Metal phosphonate chemistry has seen impressive growth in the last 15-20 years and there is a clear need to systematize and organize all this growth. This unique book accomplishes just that need - edited by two experts, it includes contributions from other experienced researchers and organises, categorises and presents in an attractive way the latest hot topics in metal phosphonate chemistry and related applications. With an extensive bibliography, it is a great reference for academic and industrial researchers as well as students working in the field and will act as a starting point for further exploration of the literature. It is also of great interest to scientists working in the broader area of metal-organic frameworks and their applications.