Choice Review

An excellent introduction to the historical milestones in the development of algebra from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century. This is a self-contained second volume to a larger project. The first volume is Geometry and Algebra in Ancient Civilizations (CH, Dec '83). Waerden is an internationally recognized figure, renowned both for his research in algebra and for his expositions of the subject. The book is not encyclopedic in intent. It traces the development of three central themes in algebra-solution of algebraic equations, groups, and algebras-by chronologically describing the major historical figures and their contributions to these fields. There is no bibliography, but bibliographic references are sufficiently profuse that the book could almost be considered to be a large annotated bibliography. This work is of great interest and value to anyone interested in algebra, the history of mathematics, or just in the historical development of ideas fundamental to the human understanding of the world. It is hard to imagine a serious academic library without this book in its collection.-D.Z. Spicer, Dartmouth College