Book excerpt: Viral Fusion Mechanisms presents the first comprehensive review on this exciting topic. The book focuses on molecular mechanisms rather than phenomonology and examines a wide range of viruses, including influenza, HIV, Sendai, SFV, Vaccinia, VSV, and RSV. Recent theoretical work on dissecting protein-mediated membrane fusion is discussed, and the most promising new technologies for elucidating mechanisms are highlighted. Viral Fusion Mechanisms is an essential reference for biophysicists, cell biologists, colloid chemists, immunologists, microbiologists, molecular biologists, and virologists.