This multi-authored book is a fully revised and updated version of its predecessor ‘Modern Soil Microbiology’, and provides an excellent and comprehensive overview of various aspects of soil microbiology. The increasing awareness of the value of soil ecosystem services and the need to look after soil resources in a changing climate, combined with rapid developments in techniques, make this new edition timely and of great value as a text book for soil microbiology courses. With 22 chapters authored by leading scientists in the field, the book covers the soil habitat in which the organisms live, interact and adapt, and gives a comprehensive overview of the role terrestrial organisms play in the nitrogen and carbon cycle. It provides a valuable support in the selection of cutting-edge molecular methods with each chapter starting at a level suitable for undergraduates but progressing to a level aimed at postgraduates, teachers and scientists, critically covering a wide range of scientific literature. Finally, the book reveals the potential of applied aspects of soil microbiology including biological control, bioremediation and the use of plant growth promoting organisms, and ends with a comprehensive glossary. The chapters are well written and presented, complementing each other and richly illustrated with colour images and useful diagrams. This informative book is excellent value for money and I expect it to become a standard book leading the reader to a thorough understanding from the fundamental concepts to the more complex techniques and the applications of soil microbiology.