Inorganic Materials Synthesis and Fabrication provides an introduction to all that is solid-state inorganic materials. From chapters on crystallographic factors and chemical energetics to comprehensive chapters on synthetic methods in the gas, liquid, and solid states, to final chapters covering synthesis and fabrication techniques of nanomaterials, this text covers it all. The authors start with a fast-paced chapter on the importance of structure in determining the bulk properties of a solid and the use of crystallography in determining solid-state structures. The second chapter is a whirlwind discussion of chemical energetics with sections on equilibrium and nonequilibrium thermodynamics, bulk and surface energy considerations, and phase transformation kinetics. While well written, these two chapters are not for the novice. It is assumed that the reader has considerable familiarity with physical methods and chemical principles. The authors express their philosophy of the first two chapters best in an excerpt from a section on phase diagrams: “The following brief introduction is meant merely to encourage the reader to refer to any one of several available texts that offer r2010 American a range from introductory to comprehensive coverage of all aspects of phase equilibria”. The real gems of the text are the middle three chapters on solid-vapor reactions, solid-liquid reactions, and solid-solid reactions, respectively. If you are new to inorganic materials synthesis, you will find these chapters helpful in guiding your research endeavors. The physical and chemical considerations involved in each type of synthetic method are covered in sufficient detail to give the reader an appreciation of the overall picture. Each chapter begins with a discussion of the fundamentals of the synthetic method under consideration followed by examples to illustrate key points. The authors do a good job defining terms and using figures to clarify synthetic techniques. The tour concludes with chapters on nanomaterials synthesis and materials fabrication. The nanomaterials chapter succinctly covers both top-down physical fabrication and bottom-up chemical synthesis methodologies for nanomaterials. The final chapter provides an introduction to common fabrication techniques and an explanation of how the method of fabrication can influence the performance and suitability of a material for a specific application. Overall, the text is well written. A unique feature is the inclusion of biographical sketches of individuals who have made important contributions to the synthesis and characterization of inorganic materials. The sketches are brief, usually less than one page, but provide an often-overlooked part of science and discovery: the human aspect. Each chapter ends with an extensive list of references for the reader who seeks further clarification on a topic. Using the text as a supplement in a graduate-level special topics course on inorganic materials is conceivable. A more likely use is as a reference for the professional chemist, physicist, material scientist, or engineer interested in starting research projects in the field of inorganic solid-state materials.