The book "Metastable, Mechanically Alloyed and Nanocrystalline Materials" (Proceedings of ISMANAM-2001), edited by E. Ma, M. Atzmon, and C.C. Koch, is a compilation of 65 articles from international symposia on the use of miniature grinding mills to modify powdered materials, particularly for creating metastable or nanocrystalline materials. The book includes contributions from researchers worldwide, highlighting the growing interest in this field. The research emphasizes the use of vibratory mills with steel balls and small amounts of powder, and explores the effects of varying vibration parameters on the grinding process. The articles discuss the formation of amorphous alloys through mechanical alloying and amorphization, the reordering process after amorphization, and mechanochemical processes such as the reduction of copper sulfide. The book also covers the synthesis, characterization, and stability of nanocrystalline materials. The research is noted for its accessibility, as it uses inexpensive equipment and techniques like x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The reviewer, Robert W. Cahn, is a materials scientist at Cambridge University. The book is part of a series of recently published materials science books reviewed by MRS Bulletin, including titles on electrochemistry, materials encyclopedias, semiconductor and protein structures, functional group chemistry, cellular metals, thermoplastic polyesters, high-performance structures, magnetic devices, intermetallic compounds, liquid metal processing, main group chemistry, microscopy of semiconducting materials, modern electrochemistry, and nanostructured materials.The book "Metastable, Mechanically Alloyed and Nanocrystalline Materials" (Proceedings of ISMANAM-2001), edited by E. Ma, M. Atzmon, and C.C. Koch, is a compilation of 65 articles from international symposia on the use of miniature grinding mills to modify powdered materials, particularly for creating metastable or nanocrystalline materials. The book includes contributions from researchers worldwide, highlighting the growing interest in this field. The research emphasizes the use of vibratory mills with steel balls and small amounts of powder, and explores the effects of varying vibration parameters on the grinding process. The articles discuss the formation of amorphous alloys through mechanical alloying and amorphization, the reordering process after amorphization, and mechanochemical processes such as the reduction of copper sulfide. The book also covers the synthesis, characterization, and stability of nanocrystalline materials. The research is noted for its accessibility, as it uses inexpensive equipment and techniques like x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The reviewer, Robert W. Cahn, is a materials scientist at Cambridge University. The book is part of a series of recently published materials science books reviewed by MRS Bulletin, including titles on electrochemistry, materials encyclopedias, semiconductor and protein structures, functional group chemistry, cellular metals, thermoplastic polyesters, high-performance structures, magnetic devices, intermetallic compounds, liquid metal processing, main group chemistry, microscopy of semiconducting materials, modern electrochemistry, and nanostructured materials.