The provided text is the preface and table of contents for the book "Ultrafast Spectroscopy of Semiconductors and Semiconductor Nanostructures" by Dr. Jagdeep Shah, published by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg GmbH. The book is part of the Springer Series in SOLID-STATE SCIENCES and is edited by M. Cardona, P. Fulde, K. von Klitzing, R. Merlin, H.-J. Queisser, and H. Störmer. The preface highlights the active research field of ultrafast spectroscopy in semiconductors and their nanostructures, noting significant developments since the first edition in 1995. The revised edition includes a new chapter on "Recent Developments" at the end, covering new lasers, techniques, and nanostructures, as well as coherent spectroscopy, ultrafast emission dynamics, and incoherent dynamics. The book aims to provide a comprehensive discussion of the diverse contributions of ultrafast spectroscopy to semiconductor physics, covering basic concepts, historical perspectives, and selected experimental results. It is structured to follow the sequence of events in a semiconductor after photoexcitation by an ultrashort pulse, starting with coherent spectroscopy and progressing through initial relaxation, cooling of hot carriers, phonon dynamics, exciton dynamics, carrier tunneling, and carrier transport in semiconductor nanostructures. The preface also expresses gratitude to colleagues, the editorial staff of Springer-Verlag, and the author's family for their support and contributions. The table of contents outlines the detailed chapters and sections covered in the book, including introductions to semiconductors, ultrafast lasers, spectroscopy techniques, and various aspects of carrier and exciton dynamics, phonon dynamics, and transport phenomena in semiconductors and their nanostructures.The provided text is the preface and table of contents for the book "Ultrafast Spectroscopy of Semiconductors and Semiconductor Nanostructures" by Dr. Jagdeep Shah, published by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg GmbH. The book is part of the Springer Series in SOLID-STATE SCIENCES and is edited by M. Cardona, P. Fulde, K. von Klitzing, R. Merlin, H.-J. Queisser, and H. Störmer. The preface highlights the active research field of ultrafast spectroscopy in semiconductors and their nanostructures, noting significant developments since the first edition in 1995. The revised edition includes a new chapter on "Recent Developments" at the end, covering new lasers, techniques, and nanostructures, as well as coherent spectroscopy, ultrafast emission dynamics, and incoherent dynamics. The book aims to provide a comprehensive discussion of the diverse contributions of ultrafast spectroscopy to semiconductor physics, covering basic concepts, historical perspectives, and selected experimental results. It is structured to follow the sequence of events in a semiconductor after photoexcitation by an ultrashort pulse, starting with coherent spectroscopy and progressing through initial relaxation, cooling of hot carriers, phonon dynamics, exciton dynamics, carrier tunneling, and carrier transport in semiconductor nanostructures. The preface also expresses gratitude to colleagues, the editorial staff of Springer-Verlag, and the author's family for their support and contributions. The table of contents outlines the detailed chapters and sections covered in the book, including introductions to semiconductors, ultrafast lasers, spectroscopy techniques, and various aspects of carrier and exciton dynamics, phonon dynamics, and transport phenomena in semiconductors and their nanostructures.