By systematically covering both the Heisenberg and Schrödinger realizations, the book emphasizes the essential principles of quantum mechanics, which remain hidden within the usual derivations of the wave equation. Moreover, this presentation not only covers the material which is traditionally presented in textbooks, but also is especially suitable for introducing the spin, i.e., the most important quantum observable. This emphasis on spin paves the way for a presentation of recent quantum-mechanical concepts such as entanglement and decoherence, and to recent applications including cryptography, teleportation and quantum computation.

"I am very impressed with Dr. Bes' approach to the subject, the clarity of his exposition, and the timeliness of the examples, many of which are taken from the most recent developments of the "old-new" field of quantum mechanics" (Prof. J. Roederer)