In one way or another, Gerry Brown has been concerned with questions about the universe, about its vast expanse as well as about its most miniscule fundamental constituents of matter throughout his entire life. In his endeavours to understand the universe in many manifestations from nuclei all the way to the stars, he has been influenced by some of the most prominent physicists of the 20th century, and he himself, in turn, has influenced a great many scholars. This volume, a collection of articles dedicated to Gerry on his 85th birthday, contains discussions of many of the issues which have attracted his interest over the years. The contributions are written by his former students, co-authors, colleagues and admirers and they are strongly influenced by Gerry''s own scientific tastes. With this compilation we want to express our respect, admiration and gratitude; we want to celebrate Gerry''s scientific and scholarly achievements, the inspirational quality of his teaching and the enthusiasm which he himself displayed in his research and which stimulated so many of his students and colleagues over the decades.