A review is given of the papers presented at the now traditional (eighth in the series) Vavilov Conference on Nonlinear Optics, which took place in Akademgorodok near Novosibirsk on June 22–25, 1981. The scientific program covered the following topics: new methods and the phenomena in nonlinear laser spectroscopy and nonlinear optics, control of the motion of various microparticles (atoms, molecules, ions) by laser fields, effects of laser radiation on complex molecules (including biomolecules), and laser methods in fundamental physical experiments (in particular, in the search for parity nonconservation in atomic processes). Over 200 scientists from 12 countries participated in the Conference.