Powerful networked workstations are adding a new dimension to the world of computing. Programmers are challenged to write applications that exploit the speed and parallelism of such distributed systems, programs that take advantage of the networking and communication features of high-speed workstations. John Corbin, a senior engineer in Sun's networking group, bases his approach on RPC (Remote Procedure Call), a technique for programming communication processes in UNIX environments. A professional reference book as well as a textbook on RPC programming techniques, The Art of Distributed Applications: Programming Techniques for Remote Procedure Call, is for the working programmer who needs to explore the possibilities of designing distributed networked applications under UNIX. The book can also be recommended as a supplemental text in a distributed systems course, providing the basis for lab assignments.