Classical tessellations and three-manifolds (Q580776)

The book is the result of a series of lectures held by the author in Spain and Mexico. It explores a relationship between classical (Euclidean, spherical, and hyperbolic) tessellations and three-manifolds. More specifically, the space of positions of these classical tessellations is studied. This leads essentially to ideas of Felix Klein and Poincaré on orientable closed 3-manifolds, in particular the Poincaré homology sphere. Roughly speaking, the book deals technically with the unit tangent bundle of the 2-dimensional orbifolds. The book requires some knowledge in group theory, projective geometry, hyperbolic geometry, and algebraic topology. It describes known material in an unusual but doubtless interesting way. Typical for the book is the author's geometric viewpoint, supported by many helpful figures and pictures and even by two plates. This makes the book useful for students and professors working in low-dimensional topology, because they will find a good source of geometrical insight and intention.