Theoretical and experimental advances in the techniques available for solving crystal structures have led to the development of several powerful techniques for solving complex structures, including those of proteins. In this 1995 book, Michael Woolfson and Fan Hai-Fu describe all the available methods and how they are used. In addition to traditional methods such as the use of the Patterson function and isomorphous replacement, and the direct methods, the authors include methods that use anomalous scattering and observations from multiple-beam scattering. The fundamental physics and mathematical analyses are fully explained. Practical aspects of applying the methods are emphasised.

‘ … gives excellent insight into new methods still on the test-bed, and offers tantalising glimpses of better methods just around the corner. It will cause every one of us to question whether the program we just ran was the most appropriate means to solve the structure.’

David Blow Source: Crystallography News