Book excerpt: This book is for those familiar with solution-state NMR who are encountering solid-state NMR for the first time. It presents the current understanding and applications of solid-state NMR with a rigorous but readable approach, making it easy for someone who merely wishes to gain an overall impression of the subject without details. This dual requirement is met through careful construction of the material within each chapter. The book is divided into two parts: "Fundamentals" and "Further Applications." The section on Fundamentals contains relatively long chapters that deal with the basic theory and practice of solid-state NMR. The essential differences and extra scope of solid-state NMR over solution-state is dealt with in an introductory chapter. The basic techniques that all chapters rely on are collected into a second chapter to avoid unnecessary repetition later. Remaining chapters in the "Fundamentals" part deal with the major areas of solid-state NMR which all solid-state NMR spectroscopists should know about. Each begins with an overview of the topic that puts the chapter in context. The basic principles upon which the techniques in the chapter rely are explained in a separate section. Each of these chapters exemplifies the principles and techniques with the applications most commonly found in current practice. The "Further Applications" section contains a series of shorter chapters which describe the NMR techniques used in other, more specific areas. The basic principles upon which these techniques rely will be expounded only if not already in the Fundamentals part.