The author perfectly achieved her goal for this book: to provide a concise introduction to infrared spectroscopy. It is certainly not a comprehensive treatment, but it will allow the reader to understand and use IR in the shortest possible amount of time.

After a brief (but necessary) discussion of the quantum mechanics and instrumentation of this field, interpretation of IR spectra is presented for basic organic, inorganic, and polymeric compounds. The exposition is very clear and the author presents some intermediate concepts in a very simple manner. Also included are interesting biological and industrial applications, although I did not read these chapters in detail.

The book is pedagogic, well organized, and contains enough answered problems to be used for self-study by undergraduates at any level.