The honor for the creation of this two-volume book series on stable isotope analytical
techniques must be given to James O’Neill. At the very start of this project, I did not realize
that he, together with Zachary Sharp, had begun writing a book on a very similar subject.
Originally, James O’Neill and Zachary Sharp were among the first authors I invited to write a
chapter for my book series. It was in this way that I discovered about their own book project,
which already had been in progress for some time. It was Zachary Sharp in particular who
convinced and motivated me, supported by James O’Neill, to continue my project, after he
recognized that the books I had in mind had a different approach and aimed at a far larger
range of elements (isotopes) than their own. The prospective publication by James O’Neil
and Zachary Sharp will have the form of a textbook and is concentrated more on a purely
geochemical field. I am grateful for their ‘open-minded attitude’