Low temperature physics, for those who know little of it, often seems to represent the very epitome of scientific futility: a seemingly purposeless (and highly expemsive) competition to see who can approach most clostely the unattainable absolute rero of temperature. They should read this book. It would be very likely to change their minds since, as an apologia for one of the most fascinabing and frutful areas of physics to emerge this century, it could hardly be bettered.