This book provides a unique overview of recent developments in studies of AGN and the evolution of supermassive black holes, with particular emphasis on the revolutionary results from the Chandra and XMM-Newton X-ray Observatories. Each chapter is a comprehensive analysis and review by an expert in the field that should provide easy access to the subject. The chapters progressively follow a single theme---the mapping of the accretion history of the universe---from both theoretical and observational points of view. The chapters are written at a level that should be accessible to graduate students and non-specialists, yet the depth and innovation of the analyses will also make it highly informative to the specialist. The topical nature of the subject matter means that the material presented in this book is not well covered in the present literature. Moreover, the depth and interconnectedness of the chapters ensures that the coverage is much more comprehensive and informative than a conference proceeding would be.
The book is intended for astronomers in general, X-ray astronomers, researchers working in the field of quasars and AGN, including graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.