Theorems and counterexamples in mathematics (Q1188678)

It is instructive to see what meaning the authors of this book attach to the word ``mathematics'' in the title. Of the 230 pages of the text, 62 are devoted to ``Classical real analysis'', 49 to ``Measure theory''. In the remaining half, ``Group theory'', ``Linear algebra'', ``Topological vector spaces'', ``Euclidean geometry'', ``Topological spaces'', ``Probability'' and ``Foundations'' occupy between 10 and 20 pages each. Finally, between 2 and 8 pages each are allotted to ``Algebras'', ``Topological algebras'', ``differential equations (ordinary and partial)'', ``Complex variables'', and ``Exotica in differential topology'', (a bare summary of results in 2 pages). There is no mention of algebraic topology, differential geometry, Lie groups, dynamical systems, operator theory, homological algebra, algebraic geometry and number theory. Thus, with a handful of exceptions, ``mathematics'', for the autors, means ``mathematics anterior to 1940''; no account is taken of the methods and theorems discovered later, as exemplified in the work of Fields medalists, for instance. It is likely that their choices reflect the syllabus of graduate teaching in most American Universities, in contrast with what is done in Europe at the same level. Within these limitations, the book undoubtedly contains interesting material, not usually found in textbooks: free topological groups; Cayley numbers (octonions); the connectedness of the group of automorphisms of Hilbert spaces, and an example of a Banach algebra in which the group of invertible elements is not connected; a continuous function for which the set of local maxima and the set of local minima are both dense; a differentiable function with non Lebesgue integrable derivative; the Steinitz derangement theorem for series of vectors; a Maclaurin series which only converges at zero; the Cantor-Lebesgue theorem for trigonometric series; Kolmogorov's solution of Hilbert's thirteenth problem; the Besicovich constructions disproving a generalization of the isoperimetric inequality in \({\mathbb{R}}^ 3\) and solving Kakeya's problem; the Banach-Tarski paradox; and finally the Knaster-Kutatoseki example of a connected set in \({\mathbb{R}}^ 2\) which becomes totally disconnected after removal of a single point. All these examples are given, either with complete proofs, or at least detailed sketches of proofs. Of course, the bulk of the book consists in many useful examples, counterexamples and commentaries on basic theorems. There is a large bibliography, a list of symbols and a very exhaustive Glossary/Index.