This book is the result of the 2004 Tyrrhenian International Workshop on Digital Communications, held in Pisa, Italy. Its production was presumably one of the goals of that workshop. Its content is a collection of papers intending to represent the state of the art in optical communications, focusing on the theoretical aspects of that field, so as to counterbalance the focus elsewhere on its technological and experimental aspects. The papers are organized into four categories: information and communication theory, coding theory, performance measurement and estimation, and modulation formats and detection.

Because of its nature, the book is not for the layperson or casual reader. Indeed, its readership is probably limited to those who attended the workshop, and those who wish they had. As a proceedings document, its shelf life is probably also limited. Unlike typical proceedings documents, however, the editor has expended considerable effort to bring a uniform editorial style to the book. Practitioners will appreciate that.