Book excerpt: In the last thirty years or so, the subject of solid state chemistry has been transformed into materials chemistry by absorbing various features of modern chemical science. The materials investigated by chemists are no longer limited to inorganic materials but include a variety of organic materials. Synthesis has become a major aspect of materials chemistry, with a variety of chemical strategies, soft chemical approaches, in particular, being employed. Studies of structure, properties, phenomena and relating structure to properties are important aspects of materials chemistry. This timely book is a selection of C N R Rao's papers. They stand testament to his over 50 years of work on the chemistry of solid materials. The volume aims to inspire interested readers with a flavor of the current research in solid-state and materials chemistry.