This book combines in one volume Irving Kaplansky's lecture notes on the theory of fields, ring theory, and homological dimensions of rings and modules.
"In all three parts of this book the author lives up to his reputation as a first-rate mathematical stylist. Throughout the work the clarity and precision of the presentation is not only a source of constant pleasure but will enable the neophyte to master the material here presented with dispatch and ease." A. Rosenberg, Mathematical Reviews"

This volume presents lecture notes based on the author's courses on Lie algebras and the solution of Hilbert's fifth problem. In chapter 1, "Lie Algebras," the structure theory of semi-simple Lie algebras in characteristic zero is presented, following the ideas of Killing and Cartan. Chapter 2, "The Structure of Locally Compact Groups," deals with the solution of Hilbert's fifth problem given by Gleason, Montgomery, and Zipplin in 1952.

Kaplansky, formerly an instructor at the University of Chicago, overviews the correlation between algebra and geometry and illustrates concepts with examples, exercises, and proofs. Coverage begins with definitions and examples of inner product spaces, and concludes with higher dimensional spaces, n

It is not often that one gets to write a preface to a collection of one's own papers. The most urgent task is to thank the people who made this book possible. That means first of all Hy Bass who, on behalf of Springer-Verlag, approached me about the idea. The late Walter Kaufmann-Biihler was very encouraging; Paulo Ribenboim helped in an important way; and Ina Lindemann saw the project through with tact and skill that I deeply appreciate. My wishes have been indulged in two ways. First, I was allowed to follow up each selected paper with an afterthought. Back in my student days I became aware...