Book excerpt: Preface to Second Edition Several new topics have been added, some small errors have been corrected and some new references have been added in this edition. New topics include aberration corrected instruments, scanning confocal mode of operations, Bloch wave eigenvalue methods and parallel computing techniques. The ?rst edition - cluded a CD with computer programs, which is not included in this edition. - stead the associated programs will be available on an associated web site (currently people.ccmr.cornell.edu/ ̃kirkland,but may move as time goes on). I wish to thank Mick Thomas for preparing the specimen used to record the image in Fig.5.26 and to thank Stephen P. Meisburger for suggesting an interesting biological specimen to use in Fig.7.24. Again, I apologize in advance for leaving out some undoubtedlyoutstanding r- erences. I also apologize for the as yet undiscovered errors that remain in the text. Earl J. Kirkland, December 2009 Preface to First Edition Image simulation has become a common tool in HREM (High Resolution El- tron Microscopy) in recent years. However, the literature on the subject is scattered among many different journals and conference proceedings that have occurred in the last two or three decades. It is dif?cult for beginners to get started in this ?eld.