For researchers, professionals and students involved in optics and communications engineering, the second edition of Fundamentals of Optical Waveguides emphasizes optical theory, including coupled-mode theory, nonlinear optical effects, and finite element, beam propagation and staircase concatenation methods. The 577-page volume details planar lightwave circuits, photonic crystal fibers, multimode interference devices and polarization-mode dispersion. A new chapter on arrayed-waveguide grating discusses the principles of operation, fundamental characteristics and analytical treatment of the grating demultiplexing properties. Katsunari Okamoto; Academic Press, an imprint of Elsevier, Burlington, Mass., 2006; $95.