'This is an undergraduate astronomical textbook based on lectures given by the author at Vassar College. The author has sixteen years' experience of teaching and this is clearly reflected in the presentation. The book is plentifully illustrated in black and white, and each chapter is followed by a summary and exercises for the student. ... As well as the textbook material, the book finishes with ten useful appendices of tabular data. It can be recommended for its lucid style; occasionally the author betrays a wry sense of humour, such as the illustration of Fermat's principle in the way that Tarzan rescues Jane from crocodile-infested waters. The book would be especially useful at universities which have access to a well-equipped observatory.' Derek Jones, The Observatory