In the twenty years since Zabusky and Kruskal coined the term ``soliton'', this concept changed the outlook on certain types of nonlinear phenomena and found its way into all branches of physics. The present volume deals with a great variety of applications of the new concept in condensed-matter physics, which is particularly reached in experimentally observable occurrences. The presentation is not centred around the mathematical aspects; the emphasis is on the physical nature of the nonlinear phenomena occurring in particular situations.With its emphasis on concrete, mostly experimentally verifiable cases, ``Solitons'' constitutes a very readable and instructive introduction to the subject as well as an up-to-date account of current developments in a field of research reaching maturity.