Since their discovery was first announced in 1973, gamma-ray bursts
(GRBs) have been among the most fascination objects in the universe.
While the initial mystery has gone, the fascination continues, sustained
by the close connection linking GRBs with some of the most fundamental
topics in modern astrophysics and cosmology. Both authors have been
active in GRB observations for over two decades and have produced an
outstanding account on both the history and the perspectives of GRB
research.