Groups of prime power order. Vol. 2. (Q934573)

This is a monumental three-volume-work on the structure of finite \(p\)-groups; Vol. 1 (Zbl 1168.20001) and 2 are reviewed here, Vol. 3 (Zbl 1229.20001) follows later. There are too many \(p\)-groups of a given order! For instance, there are, up to isomorphism, 49.487.365.422 groups of order \(2^{10}\) (which is 1024). Nevertheless, it turns out that a lot of theorems can be concocted dealing with general structure questions on \(p\)-groups. In this review we will try to inform the reader what (among others) there is to be found in Vol. 1 and 2. Some results are hidden in the literature for deeply, and stated and proved here in a clever way. But a very substantial part contains totally new results. In the following some of them are mentioned without claiming completeness as exposed in the books. The reader will find in Vol. 1 for instance: Groups with a cyclic subgroup of index \(p\), class number, character degrees, cyclic Frattini subgroups of \(p\)-groups, Hall's enumeration principle, automorphisms, regular or pyramidal or maximal class \(p\)-groups, Abelian subgroups, power structure, counting theorems, Thompson's critical subgroup, generators, classification of several types of \(p\)-groups, Schur multiplier, lattices of subgroups, powerful \(p\)-groups, isoclinism,\dots, Alperin's problem on Abelian subgroups of small index, breadth and class numbers of \(p\)-groups. There are also fifteen Appendices in Vol. 1, as well as 700 research problems and themes! Highly recommended all this! In Vol. 2 one finds very recent results and/or classifications of: degrees of irreducible characters of Suzuki \(p\)-groups, \(2\)-groups with small centralizer of an involution (and many, many more results on \(2\)-groups), results of Blackburn, modular \(p\)-groups, quaternion-free \(2\)-groups, classification of \(2\)-groups with precisely three involutions, extraspecial \(p\)-groups, Hall chains, etc. There are eleven Appendices in Vol. 2, as well as (again) 700 research problems and themes. Also here, highly recommendated all this! All theorems are proved fully in a clear way. The contents of the volumes contribute fundamentally to the knowledge of \(p\)-groups. If the reader ``goes through'' the volumes, he/she will come to the conclusion that his/her knowledge on \(p\)-groups was only somewhat meager up to now; therefore, read these volumes over and over! Again, buy these books and learn from it!