chapter 1 Elements of equilibrium statistical mechanics -- chapter 2 Nuclear physics background -- chapter 3 History of statistical models of nuclear decay processes -- chapter 4 Single and multistep evaporation calculations -- chapter 5 Multidetectors, sequential binary decay and the characterization of multifragment decay processes -- chapter 6 Statistical models for multifragmentation -- chapter 7 Percolation, caloric curves and vaporization -- chapter 8 From evaporation to vaporization.