This textbook offers an introduction to the foundations of spectroscopic methods and provides a bridge between basic concepts and experimental applications in fields as diverse as materials science, biology, solar energy conversion, and environmental science. The author emphasizes the use of time-dependent theory to link the spectral response in the frequency domain to the behavior of molecules in the time domain, strengthened by two brand new chapters on nonlinear optical spectroscopy and time-resolved spectroscopy. Theoretical underpinnings are presented to the extent necessary for readers to understand how to apply spectroscopic tools to their own interests.

"This text is uniquely valuable because it presents the linear and nonlinear spectroscopy that is most relevant for exciting condensed phase molecular systems" - Richard A. Mathies, Professor of Chemistry, UC Berkeley "This book provides a solid treatment of the foundations of spectroscopy and applies it to modern topics" - Robert J. Gordon, Professor of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago