Description

'I like the authors' taste in footnotes, what with their frequent emphasis on history, i.e. the minutiae of the lives of many mathematicians appearing in these pages. Their remarks add a particular dimension of fun and pleasure to what I think is a very good book. It's pitched at the right level, it does a lot of serious stuff in preparation for what is coming the students' way in the future, and it does it well.'MAA ReviewsThis comprehensive two-volume book deals with algebra, broadly conceived. Volume 1 (Chapters 1-6) comprises material for a first year graduate course in algebra, offering the instructor a number of options in designing such a course. Volume 1, provides as well all essential material that students need to prepare for the qualifying exam in algebra at most American and European universities. Volume 2 (Chapters 7-13) forms the basis for a second year graduate course in topics in algebra. As the table of contents shows, that volume provides ample material accommodating a variety of topics that may be included in a second year course. To facilitate matters for the reader, there is a chart showing the interdependence of the chapters.