Over the course of nearly half a century, Sam Edwards has led the field of condensed matter physics into new directions, ranging from the electronic and statistical properties of disordered materials to the mechanical properties of granular materials. Along the way, he has provided seminal
contributions to fluid mechanics, polymer science, surface science and statistical mechanics. This volume celebrates the immense scope of his influence by presenting a collection of original articles by recognized leaders in theoretical physics, including two Nobel Laureates and a Fields Medalist,
which describe the genesis, evolution and future prospects of the various sub-fields of condensed matter theory, along with reprints of a selection of Edwards' seminal papers that helped give birth to the subject. Stealing the Gold, Edwards' favorite caricature of the relationship between
theoretical physicists and Nature, will be of singular interest to graduate students looking for an overview of some of the most exciting areas of theoretical physics, as well as to researchers in condensed matter physics looking for a comprehensive, broad and uniquely incisive snapshot of their
subject at the dawn of the 21st century.

• 1: P.G. DeGennes: Foreword


• 2: P.M. Goldbart, N. Goldenfeld, D. Sherrington: Preface


• 3: S.F. Edwards: Reprint: A new method for the evaluation of electric conductivity in metals


• 4: D. Khmelnitskii: Impurity diagrammatics and the physics of disordered metals


• 5: S.F. Edwards: Reprint: The statistical dynamics of homogeneous turbulence


• 6: K.R. Sreenivasan, G.L. Eyink: Sam Edwards and the turbulence theory


• 7: S.F. Edwards: Reprint: The statistical mechanics of polymers with excluded volume


• 8: R.C. Ball: The entry of field theory in to polymer science


• 9: S.F. Edwards: Reprint: The theory of polymer solutions at intermediate concentration


• 10: Y. Oono, T. Ohta: The coarse grained approach in polymer physics


• 11: S.F. Edwards: Reprint: Statistical mechanics with topological constraints: II


• 12: E. Witten: Notes on 'Statistical mechanics with topological constraints I and II'


• 13: S.F. Edwards, P.W. Anderson: Reprint: Theory of spin glasses


• 14: P.W. Anderson: Remarks on the Edwards-Anderson paper


• 15: D. Sherrington: Edwards-Anderson: Opening up the world of complexity


• 16: G. Parisi: The overlap in glassy systems


• 17: M. Mezard: Theory of ramdon solid states


• 18: R.T. Deam, S.F. Edwards: Reprint: The theory of rubber elasticity


• 19: P.M. Goldbart, N. Goldenfeld: Sam Edwards and the statistical mechanics of rubber


• 20: M. Doi, S.F. Edwards: Reprint: Dynamics of concentrated polymer systems, Part 2: Molecular motion under flow


• 21: W.W. Graessley, T.C.B. McLeish: The Doi-Edwards theory


• 22: S.F. Edwards, D.R. Wilkinson: Reprint: The surface statistics of a granular aggregate


• 23: M. Kardar: The surface statistics of a growing aggregate


• 24: S.F. Edwards, R.B.S. Oakeshott: Reprint: Theory of powders


• 25: J. Kurchan: Building a thermodynamics on sand


• 26: S.F. Edwards, R.B.S. Oakeshott: Reprint: The transmission of stress in an aggregate


• 27: J.P. Bouchaud, M.E. Cates: Granular media: Three dimensional ideas of Sir Sam's


• Chapters on the Edwardsian approach to research


• 28: J.S. Langer: The case for Edwardsian research in solid mechanics: A sermon


• 29: G. Allen: A scientist for all seasons

Paul M. Goldbart, Dept of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801-3080, USA
Nigel Goldenfeld, Dept of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801-3080, USA
David Sherrington, Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, 1 Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3NP, UK