Studies of the structure and decay modes of nuclei far from stability have yielded many new insights which were not seen in nuclei near the line of p stability. The results of recent experimental and theoretical investigations are presented and the new insights being gained are discussed. Some of the highlights described include groundstate proton radioactivity, &delayed 2n, 3n and 2p decays, the coexistence of states built on quite different nuclear shapes in the same nucleus, new regions of strongly deformed nuclei, and the importance of the reinforcement of proton and neutron shell gaps on the shape of a nucleus.