No label defined (Q4040208)

This excellently written book arose from the notes of a seminar, held by the authors at the Moscow University in the sixties. It represents an advanced text-book on the theory of semi-simple Lie groups. Its distinguishing feature is that the treatment is based on the theory of algebraic groups. This permits to do the most concise treatment. The construction of the book reflects its origin. Namely it gives almost all material as a series of problems. At the end of each paragraph there are instructions for solving these problems. Proofs of the most difficult theorems are given in the main text. Such structure, on the one hand, cuts considerably the volume, and on the other hand, requires resolution and persistence of the reader. Contents: Lie groups; algebraic varieties; algebraic groups; the Levi decomposition. One of the merits of this book is that it has an extensive and highly useful reference section (formulae and tables).