Part One of the book features an Introduction by Neilson and discusses Magnetic Fusion Issues in three areas: Plasma Performance, Burn and Sustainment; Plasma Exhaust; and Power Extraction and Tritium Self-sufficiency. Part Two, titled "Experiments: Scientific Foundations for ITER", describes the progress and contributions from six major experiments: ASDEX Upgrade, Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor, JT-60U, Joint European Torus, Tore Supra -- WEST, and Alcator C-Mod and the High Field Approach to Fusion. Part Three, titled "Experiments: Developing the Basis for Going Beyond ITER", describes the progress from six additional experimental facilities: National Spherical Torus Experiment, Megamp Spherical Tokamak -- MAST, Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), JT-60SA, Large Helical Device, and Wendelstein 7-X. Part Four, titled "Key Technological Elements of Magnetic Fusion Energy Power Plants and Future Fusion Power Plants", discusses Heating, Current-drive and Fueling; Diagnostics; and Stellarators.

In the Introduction, Neilson notes that achieving fusion has proved to be time-consuming and difficult but says "Fusion receives support from policy makers and funding appropriators in many countries for a host of reasons, but all tied in some way to the realization that the world's need for large-scale clean energy solutions is so great the fusion's potential must be thoroughly understood, demonstrated, and evaluated." He acknowledges that though some important experiments are not included, the omissions "were not the result of value judgments made in the book's preparation."

This book is brilliantly written and fills a need for summarizing the contributions of many (though not all) major experiments that have contributed to the present confidence in the ultimate success of the ITER project currently under construction as an international venture.

The expert contributors to this book are:
C. D. Beidler - Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics, Greifswald, Germany
M. G. Bell - Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (retired), USA
L. V. Boccaccini - Institute for Neutron Physics and Reactor Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
R. Boivin - General Atomics, San Diego, USA
J. Bucalossi - CEA, IRFM, France
D. Demange - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
U. Fischer - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
M. Greenwald - Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
W. Hering - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
L. D. Horton - JET, UK
S. Ishida - Naka Fusion Institute, Japan
JET Contributors, UK
A. Kallenbach - Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics, Garching, Germany
Y. Yamada - Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka, Japan
O. Keneko - National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki, Japan
S. M. Kaye - Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, USA
T. Klinger - Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics, Greifswald, Germany
R. Maingi - Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, USA
H. Meyer - Culham Science Center, UK
G. H. Neilson - Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, USA
R. Neu - Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics, Garching, Germany
E. Surrey - Culham Science Center, UK
B. Wan (and EAST team) - Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
F. Warmer - Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics, Greifswald, Germany
R. C. Wolf - Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics, Greifswald, Germany
H. Zohm - Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics, Garching, Germany