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| Algebra (Graduate Texts in Mathematics) | 
 enlarge | Author: Thomas W. Hungerford
Publisher: Springer
Category: Book
List Price: $59.95
Buy New: $38.97
You Save: $20.98 (35%)
New (22) Used (19) from $37.13
Avg. Customer Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 132192
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 528
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.9
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2
ISBN: 0387905189
Dewey Decimal Number: 512.02
EAN: 9780387905181
ASIN: 0387905189
Publication Date: February 14, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New Book. International Shipping Available
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Product Description
Algebra fulfills a definite need to provide a self-contained, one volume, graduate level algebra text that is readable by the average graduate student and flexible enough to accomodate a wide variety of instructors and course contents. The guiding philosophical principle throughout the text is that the material should be presented in the maximum usable generality consistent with good pedagogy. Therefore it is essentially self-contained, stresses clarity rather than brevity and contains an unusually large number of illustrative exercises. The book covers major areas of modern algebra, which is a necessity for most mathematics students in sufficient breadth and depth.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Hungerford's Introduction Marvel November 5, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is a well structured introduction to every aspect of graduate lvl algebra. Well written, almost an encyclopedia when it comes to facts, it gives the reader a lot of challenges with half finished proofs and hints on the homework. A "must have" for every graduate student interested in some higher level Algebra
 Hungerford- A Strong Book With Faults October 8, 2007
1 out of 7 found this review helpful
My impressions of Hungerford as an undergraduate student with a degree of aptitude towards mathematics. First, the text seems like a good text for strong undergraduates and lower-caliber graduates. Otherwise, an apt first-year grad student should not have problems reading a text like Lang's.
The book is clear, relatively concise and really doesn't stray from the path of teaching elementary algebra till later in the text. This is useful, since a discussion of functors isn't likely to be on an undergraduate midterm about algebra. However, later in the text, Hungerford begins to rely on the axiom of choice/Zorn's Lemma to simplify some of his major proofs. I see this as a major detraction, since most of these proofs are independent of that axiom. As of this point, that's my major gripe with the text. Still, I would definitely suggest it to apt undergraduates.
Worth it's weight in GOLD! December 11, 2006
13 out of 15 found this review helpful
Having read the texts of Lang and Jacobson, I would defintely recommend this text to anyone who desires a very solid and rigorous mathematical base with respect to the basics of Algebra. Not as simple as Jacobson I or as terse and dry as Jacobson II or as lifeless as Lang's Algebra, this text is by far the best 'classic' that exists and can be adequately utilized by satifactorially trained first year graduate students or highly motivated undergraduates.
So what seperates this text from the myriad of other Alegra texts that exist? The simple answer is that Hungerford actually proves the essential theorems in detail. Sure there are plenty of '...left as an exercise for the reader' but, like in his undergraduate text, Hungerford clearly illustrates how to prove a theorem. Compare this with Jacobson who takes a less than rigorous tone and, in almost a one-on-one conversation with the reader, explains/proves an idea in the matter of, say, a paragraph. Then at the end of the paragraph Jacobson will state the theorem, leaving you to re-read the paragraph in order to assure yourself this in fact was the case. Further, compare Hungerford's style with that of Lang. Lang is notorious for stating a theorem in its most abstract case and then giving what Hungerford, or most of use mere mortals, would call a sketch of a proof. This high level of rigor and commitment to the reader pays off and, in fact, rubs off when turns around and attempts to prove the various exercises. It's like the saying 'if you want to be successful, then surround yourself with sucessful people'. If you want to learn Algebra and, in particular, see how to construct rock-solid proofs, then you should surround yourself with teachers or texts written by the Hungerford's out there.
Well, if the previous paragraph did not convince you that buying and subsequently struggling through this text would be benificial, then let me try this. Out of the given texts who can claim the status of 'classic', this is by-far the most versatile Algebra text. That is, it offers the greatest flexibility with respect to learning about a specific sub-field of Algebra. This allows you to focus and properly chart your course. Whereas, with other texts you are given little or no insight into how to plot a course and hence you are left to assume reading the given text cover to cover is the only possible option. Furthermore, the material presented is foundational to any and every graduate student regardless of their Mathematical predilection and therefore cannot be considered out-of-date as asserted by other reviewers. Finally, and as far as notation/aesthetics goes, if this is why you dis-like the text and feel detracts from your ability to learn Algebra, then I would strongly suggest venturing into another field other than Mathematics. If you are a graduate student or someone doing research on their own, then you are required to read works written by authors from around the world and the notational differences should be the last of your worries.
In summary, this text is the best possible text that you can buy in order to adequately learn Algebra at the graduate level. Yes it is difficult and some of the problems may take you weeks to solve but that's Mathematics. Enjoy!
A very good encyclopedia of Algebra May 25, 2006
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is the book that I read in the University for the most part of my Algebra courses, and I own it. It's a very good book that has the most important topics in Algebra (Groups, Rings, Fields, Linear Algebra over Modules) and some other topics such as Category Theory.
Deceptively Wonderful September 19, 2004
7 out of 10 found this review helpful
OK here's the truth: This book is an awful text when accompanied by not so great prof is teaching from it (e.g. one who delivers nothing but the text). BUT... once you begin to understand enough to know that the "trivial" "exercise" and "left to the reader" proofs are quite straightforward, the book is probably the best reference in Algebra you can hope for.
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