内容简介
Theoriginaleditionofthisbookhasbeenoutofprintforsomeyears.TheappearanceofthepresentsecondeditionowesmuchtotheinitiativeofYvesNievergeltatEasternWashingtonUniversity,andthesupportofAnnKostant,MathematicsEditoratBirkhauser.Sincethebookwasfirstpublished,severalpeoplehaveremarkedontheabsenceofexercisesandexpressedtheopinionthatthebookwouldhavebeenmoreusefulhadexercisesbeenincluded.In1997,YvesNievergeltinformedmethat,foradecade,hehadregularlytaughtacourseatEasternWashingtonbasedonthebook,andthathehadsystematicallycompiledexercisesforhiscourse.Hekindlyputhisworkatmydisposal.Thus,thepresenteditionappearsintwoparts.Thefirstisessentiallyjustareprintoftheoriginaledition.IhavecorrectedthemisprintsofwhichIhavebecomeaware(includingthosepointedouttomebyothers),andhavemadeasmallnumberofotherminorchanges.