The book "Laser Cooling and Trapping" by Harold J. Metcalf and Peter van der Straten is a comprehensive guide to the field of laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms. It is written for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students, and is based on lectures given by the authors at Stony Brook and Utrecht. The book is divided into three parts: Part I reviews quantum mechanics and atomic physics, Part II introduces the experimental tools and techniques used in laser cooling, and Part III discusses the applications of these technologies. The book begins with a review of quantum mechanics and atomic physics, covering topics such as time-dependent perturbation theory, the Rabi two-level problem, and the density matrix. It then moves on to discuss the force on two-level atoms, multilevel atoms, and general properties concerning laser cooling. The second part of the book focuses on the experimental techniques used in laser cooling, including beam deceleration, optical molasses, and cooling below the Doppler limit. The third part discusses the applications of laser cooling, including Newtonian atom optics, magnetic trapping, optical trapping, evaporative cooling, and applications to atomic clocks, ion traps, and nonlinear optics. The book also covers topics such as the dipole force, magnetic trapping of neutral atoms, optical traps for neutral atoms, and evaporative cooling. It discusses the physics of laser cooling and trapping, including the Doppler effect, recoil limit, and Sisyphus cooling. The book also addresses the use of laser cooling in the study of ultra-cold collisions, deBroglie wave optics, and optical lattices. It concludes with a discussion of Bose-Einstein condensation and dark states. The book is written from the perspective of experimentalists, with a focus on practical applications and techniques. It avoids long, formal derivations and presents most of the theoretical material in a conversational manner. The authors aim to inspire readers with the beautiful "finger physics" pictures that have evolved in this new field. The book is intended to serve as a guide for students learning the basic elements of the field, rather than as a complete, up-to-date, thorough treatment. The authors apologize for any omissions or slighting of work that may have been omitted.The book "Laser Cooling and Trapping" by Harold J. Metcalf and Peter van der Straten is a comprehensive guide to the field of laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms. It is written for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students, and is based on lectures given by the authors at Stony Brook and Utrecht. The book is divided into three parts: Part I reviews quantum mechanics and atomic physics, Part II introduces the experimental tools and techniques used in laser cooling, and Part III discusses the applications of these technologies. The book begins with a review of quantum mechanics and atomic physics, covering topics such as time-dependent perturbation theory, the Rabi two-level problem, and the density matrix. It then moves on to discuss the force on two-level atoms, multilevel atoms, and general properties concerning laser cooling. The second part of the book focuses on the experimental techniques used in laser cooling, including beam deceleration, optical molasses, and cooling below the Doppler limit. The third part discusses the applications of laser cooling, including Newtonian atom optics, magnetic trapping, optical trapping, evaporative cooling, and applications to atomic clocks, ion traps, and nonlinear optics. The book also covers topics such as the dipole force, magnetic trapping of neutral atoms, optical traps for neutral atoms, and evaporative cooling. It discusses the physics of laser cooling and trapping, including the Doppler effect, recoil limit, and Sisyphus cooling. The book also addresses the use of laser cooling in the study of ultra-cold collisions, deBroglie wave optics, and optical lattices. It concludes with a discussion of Bose-Einstein condensation and dark states. The book is written from the perspective of experimentalists, with a focus on practical applications and techniques. It avoids long, formal derivations and presents most of the theoretical material in a conversational manner. The authors aim to inspire readers with the beautiful "finger physics" pictures that have evolved in this new field. The book is intended to serve as a guide for students learning the basic elements of the field, rather than as a complete, up-to-date, thorough treatment. The authors apologize for any omissions or slighting of work that may have been omitted.