To understand the value of the book, one must first appreciate the authority behind it. Dieter Rehder is a distinguished German chemist, formerly a professor at the University of Hamburg. His research interests have long focused on organometallic chemistry and the role of transition metals in biological systems. Specifically, Rehder is renowned for his work on the biological relevance of vanadium—a somewhat underrepresented element in general chemistry curriculums that plays a surprising role in marine biology and enzyme function.