From reviews of the first edition: "The scientific content and theoretical thread that builds up the book are excellent. [.] This is an excellent scientific book that is pleasant (even enjoyable) to read." Advanced Materials "What I really like about the book is the large selection of clearly marked examples and 'excursions' within the text. They offer a connection between fundamental physics and modern technological and scientific applications. This is often missing in other books, leaving the reader wondering what all the formalism could be used for. Here, one always has the feeling that the treated subject is of relevance to areas of modern research. [.

] I can certainly recommend the book to newcomers who wish to get both an introduction into the fundamentals as well as an overview of modern optical applications." ChemPhysChem.