The present book is the outcome of a one-semester lecture course which the author has given frequently during the last three decades. The course has been gradually modified over the years in accordance with changing outlook and with the steadily increasing sophistication of the audience, third- and fourth-year honours classes in several universities in Australia and in Canada. Out of the conviction that no branch of Mathematics can be mastered by memorizing facts and methods I have tried from the beginning to make the subject interesting for the reader. Clearly one cannot hope to please...
The present book is the outcome of a one-semester lecture course which the author has given frequently during the last three decades. The course has b...