Richly illustrated throughout, this book provides a comprehensive, approachable summary of the field of crystallography, fundamental theory of diffraction and properties of crystals, applications in determining macromolecular structure. Dedicated to providing a complete introduction to the subjectthat does not assume a background in physics or math, book s contents flow logically from basic principles to methods, such as those for solving phase problems, interpretation of Patterson maps, and the difference Fourier method. This introduction includes practical instruction on interpretation of data and methods for determining phases and also: 

• Illustrates concepts throughout to clarify difficult ideas
• Integrates analogies to illuminate the text
• Equips the reader to employ the range of programs in crystallography