This imponant book presents on approach to understanding the atomic nucleus that exploits simple algebraic techniques. The book focuses primarily on a panicular algebra:ic model, the Interacting Boson Model (IBM); ft outines the algebraic structure, or group theoretical basis, of the IBM and other algebraic models using simple examples. Both the compa6son of the IBM with empirical data and its microscopic basis are explored, as are extensions to odd mass nuclei and to phenomena not onginally encompassed within its purview. An impo@ant final chapter treats fermion algebraic approaches to...