This fourth volume in the series 'Physics and Chemistry of Materials with Layered Structures' is concerned with providing a critical review of the significant optical and electrical properties by established authors who have themselves made many significant contributions to these fields. Research into these materials has recently gained a new impetus and their fascinating properties have attracted many new research workers. These people should find much of value in the reviews contained in this volume and the editor is very much indebted for the painstaking and hard work put into the preparation of the various chapters by the authors. The optical properties provide useful information for deriving the band struc­ tures, a knowledge of which is required for an interpretation of measurements on the electronic properties. The chapters by Dr Evans, Dr Williams and Dr Bordas describe different techniques which have provided much detailed data on this subject. An interesting property of these materials is the comparative ease with which thin specimens may be prepared for these measurements and this is highlighted in the super conducting experiments outlined by Professor Frindt and Dr Huntley. These authors together with Dr Vandenberg's chapter on the magnetic properties also describe the interesting and significant intercalation mechanisms whereby a wide range of organic compounds and alkali metals may be incorporated in the lattice. This provides an additional parameter for varying the properties of these materials and may yet be seen to provide eventual possible applications of layer compounds.