Book excerpt: Gleria (materials science, Padova University, Italy) and De Jaeger (chemistry, University of Sciences and Technologies, France) present the latest work in the synthesis and characterization of poly(organophosphazenes). The book opens with a general introduction on background, developments, and future perspectives, then covers the synthetic aspects of phosphazene polymers, with chapters on areas such as ambient temperature cationic condensation synthesis of polyphosphazenes and high molecular weight polyspirophosphazenes. Chapters on the characterization of phosphazene polymers in solution explore topics including thermal and mechanical properties of polyphosphazenes and electrochemical behavior of phosphazenes. Annotation : 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).