This book is a practical guide for field geologists. Consequently it deals mainly with the physical attributes of granites as encountered in the field. However, granites have always been a focus for controversy, the nature of which has changed as the science has evolved, but which has been essentially concerned with the nature and origin of granites of every kind. This work is published at a time when modern experimental work seems to be close to resolving these fundamental questions. Nevertheless its prime purpose is to portray the astonishing variety of granite phenomena as seen by the field geologist.