There were many who joked when we took over Advances in Microbial Ecology at Volume 13; perhaps they should have reserved their expressions of superstition for Volume 14. As an example of British understatement, I think it would be fair to say that we have had a little bad luck. Never have I known a volume so bedeviled with misfortune, but we have been similarly fortunate in the patience exhibited by our authors, particularly those who were "first in line" with their chapters. It would be inappropriate to burden the reader with the catalogue of accidents and illnesses; suffice it to say that considerable experience has been gained in contingency planning. We feel particularly delighted that the final product is a balanced volume, maintaining the tradition of Advances in Microbial Ecology in providing something for everyone. The chapters range from the strategies of growth to the role of microbes in maintaining sustainable agriculture, the significance of a single biochemical process to the complexities of coping with a wide range of substrates.