Over the last 40 years, the 1950, 1964, and 1974 editions of Faegri-Iversen were classics of pollen analysis. This continued reprinting is proof of the merit, scientific importance, and practical need of the information contained in this work. Faegri has undertaken the necessary task of revision of the book with two co-authors. Pollen analysis is by far the most important method for the reconstruction of past flora, vegetation, and environments. While the find of macrofossils is a fairly certain indication that the species in question occurred in or near the locality at the time of deposition of the sample, nothing can be concluded from its absence. Pollen analysis is an exception to this basic rule of palaeontological research because: 1) pollen is extremely resilient and can be found in deposits in which other types of fossils have been destroyed by the weight of overlying strata, heat, or other factors; 2) pollen grains are produced in enormous numbers; 3) pollen grains are more widely and more evenly distributed than larger fossils; 4) pollen grains can be retrieved in great quantities; and 5) they can be treated statistically and quantitative variations can be adequately controlled. However, pollen analysis provides direct information on vegetation only. Conclusions about climate, human disturbance, etc., are secondary deductions from the vegetational record. The authors of this work have extended pollen analysis far beyond its original limited scope, the reconstruction of Late Quaternary changes of vegetation. However, the focus of much palynological work is still marine, lacustrine, and terrestrial sediments contemporaneous with <i>Homo</i> and the hominids, thus shedding light upon the environment in which human culture has developed. This textbook covers the theoretical as well as the practical aspects, including new methods introduced since the former editions were published. -- AATA