Book excerpt: The book is a comprehensive work on Properties of Matter which introduces the students to the fundamentals of the subject. It adopts a unique 'ab initio' approach to the presentation of matter- solids, liquids and gasses- with extensive usage of Calculus throughout the book. For each topic, the focus is on optimum blend of theory as well as practical application. Examples and extensive exercises solved with the logarithms reinforce the concepts and stimulate the desire among users to test how far they have grasped and imbibed the basic principles. It primarily caters to the undergraduate courses offered in Indian universities.