Barbara Burke Hubbard begins her examination of wavelets with the story of the development of Fourier analysis, the essential underpinning for telephones, x-ray machines, and computers. Without any dizzying technical or mathematical detail she describes the more recent, meteoric rise of wavelet analysis and its many practical applications. The second half of the book lucidly presents the mathematical formulas and details of wavelet analysis for those seeking a deeper understanding. In this second edition she includes a discussion of new medical and genetic applications such as mammography, heart disease, and fingerprints; recent technical developments; a more in-depth look at wavelet history and wavelet researchers; and an updated bibliography and list of software and web sites.