I have read many books looking for quick information regarding fiber optic systems and this book is by far better than any others in terms of giving you the "need to know" basics and principles. I like how clearly the background information on optical is presented. Some other reviews have aptly pointed out: 1) If you are a fiber-optics professional and want in depth treatment of specific issues, you may not find it here. However, if you are like most engineers and need to go from a 0 to 65% expert quickly for making decisions, this book is EXCELLENT. Better than others by far in terms of clarity! 2) The background info on optical does assume you have had some basic physics including in order to breeze through it. It is still a good starting point even if you haven't. I actually understood some things better after reading this book versus what I remembered from EM/physics courses. A great book.