or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
More Buying Choices
42 used & new from $21.97

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Algebraic Topology
 
 

Algebraic Topology (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The aim of this short preliminary chapter is to introduce a few of the most common geometric concepts and constructions in algebraic topology..." (more)
Key Phrases: cellular boundary maps, orthonormal tangent vector fields, trivial boundary maps, Basic Constructions Section, Covering Spaces Section, Formula Section (more...)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

List Price: $37.99
Price: $36.89 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
You Save: $1.10 (3%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Want it delivered Monday, November 16? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
28 new from $21.98 14 used from $21.97

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Hardcover, November 14, 2001 $69.35 $69.35 --
  Paperback, November 14, 2001 $36.89 $21.98 $21.97

Frequently Bought Together

Algebraic Topology + Counterexamples in Topology + Topology (2nd Edition)
Price For All Three: $154.72

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: Algebraic Topology by Allen Hatcher

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details

  • Counterexamples in Topology by J. Arthur Seebach

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Topology (2nd Edition) by James R. Munkres

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Abstract Algebra

Abstract Algebra

by David Steven Dummit
4.2 out of 5 stars (41)  $75.74
Introduction to Smooth Manifolds

Introduction to Smooth Manifolds

by John M. Lee
4.8 out of 5 stars (17)  $48.31
Topology (2nd Edition)

Topology (2nd Edition)

by James R. Munkres
4.3 out of 5 stars (29)  $107.73
Algebra

Algebra

by Serge A. Lang
4.0 out of 5 stars (23)  $45.88
A Concise Course in Algebraic Topology (Chicago Lectures in Mathematics)

A Concise Course in Algebraic Topology (Chicago Lectures in Mathematics)

by J. Peter May
4.9 out of 5 stars (7)  $20.52
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Algebraic topoligy books that emphasize geometrical intuition usually have only a modest technical reach. Remarkably, Hatcher (Cornell Univ.) offers a highly geometrical treatment that neverheless matches the coverage of, e.g., Edwin Henry Spanier's very formidable and identically titled classic work... He promises two advanced companion volumes, one on spectral sequences, one on vector bundles. One anticipates the combined treatise doing for algebraic topology what Michael Spivak's magisterial five-volume set did for differential geometry." Choice


Product Description

In most major universities one of the three or four basic first-year graduate mathematics courses is algebraic topology. This introductory text is suitable for use in a course on the subject or for self-study, featuring broad coverage and a readable exposition, with many examples and exercises. The four main chapters present the basics: fundamental group and covering spaces, homology and cohomology, higher homotopy groups, and homotopy theory generally. The author emphasizes the geometric aspects of the subject, which helps students gain intuition. A unique feature is the inclusion of many optional topics not usually part of a first course due to time constraints: Bockstein and transfer homomorphisms, direct and inverse limits, H-spaces and Hopf algebras, the Brown representability theorem, the James reduced product, the Dold-Thom theorem, and Steenrod squares and powers.

Product Details


More About the Author

Allen Hatcher
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Visit Amazon's Allen Hatcher Page

Inside This Book (learn more)




What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

 

Customer Reviews

17 Reviews
5 star:
 (8)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (3)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (17 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
44 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars You would not regret if you buy this., February 26, 2003
By A Customer
There are many really good textbooks on algebraic topology and each has its own merit: Bredon for his effort in explaining everything that can be dealt without using spectral equences, Fomenko & Novikov for their effort in unifying differential geometry and algebraic/differential topology.
Hatcher's book is intended as one of the series that cover every aspect of the subject. Separate books on vector bundles and K-theory, and spectral sequences respectively, are to appear sometime in the future. Thus this one covers ordinary homology/cohomology and homotopy theory only. His writing style is helpful and user-friendly, not demanding extensive "mathematical maturity".
I am not sure if this is "the" textbook on algebraic topology, but I bet this is among the best ones. You would not regret if you buy this, even when an electronic version is available online (for free) from the author's home page.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
58 of 71 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars The Last Text on Introductory Algebraic Topology, January 4, 2002
By Pisheng Ding (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
No serious introductory text on basic algebraic topology has ever achieved this level of clarity, readability and depth. Its richness in examples (in both the main text and the problems) exposes a beginner to the underlying mechanisms of geometry in algebraic topology; its choice and arrangement of topics strike a perfect balance between accesibility and substantiveness; its lively and motivating exposition makes a student reluctant to attend the often boring topology classes. For a novice, this should be the first reading on the subject before (s)he is ruined by the many existing daunting texts; for a veteran, this can be very nourishing, especially if (s)he is already ruined by those either unreadable or shallow 'introduction's.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed Feelings, February 4, 2007
This book is intended as an "introduction to alegbraic topology" and I rated the book accordingly.

I found the book refreshing at points and thorougly frustrating at other points. This was one of the first book I approached when trying to learn formal algebraic topology. Prior to reading it I had indirect exposure to algebraic topology in application to physics especially when learning about differential forms where one is usually exposed to homology cohomology and derham cohomology, etc. I found the physics texts MUCH more instructive than this text which is supposed to be from the mathematicians perspective.

The book has it's merits:

1) it is organized well and attempts to relate the main topics in algebraic topolgy - homotopy and homology
2) it has many examples to help solidify the concept presented
3) it has plenty of exercises of varying difficulty.
4) it genuinely tries to motivate the mathematical ideas of algebraic topology.

However it has many faults. I was particulary disturbed by it's lack of definitions. At some point I felt like I was having a conversation or reading a "pop" math books for the dilettante not mathematician. I found myself repeatedly going back and having to REREAD THE TEXT to get the definition of some mathematical object. In my humble opinion a math text should clearly state definitions and properties and not try to "explain" them in prose without the preceding definitions.

The author also states minimal prerequisites ( algebra and point set topology ), however, it is clear alot more is needed.

Although there are plenty of examples, the author, simply states conclusions which maybe "self-evident" to someone with previous exposure to algebraic topology but not to a novice. In the examples little effort is made to explain the assertions.

Finally, the author has a chapter 0 which goes over some geometric preliminaries with little rigour, which to his credit he admits. However, he states that you do not really need to read it thru and only refer to it as needed when going over the text. The problems is all of the notions used in chapter 0 are ASSUMED TO BE KNOWN in the text. You have to know all the constructions, definitions and properties and access them from memory at a moment's notice to follow along the proofs and examples. That is not difficult to do but he doesnt present these notion in chapter 0 in a clear and efficient way. Again it is presented in "prose" format.

Regardless, I suggest you download the electronic version and read it for yourself. Google the author and the link will pop up.

I wanted to rate this book a B- but there was no 3.5 so I gave it a 3.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars I hate this book
A simple test
Can you with prerequisites and chapter 0 contens solve exercise 20 without using arguments kinda lawyer or politician? Read more
Published 18 hours ago by Ismael Cortazar Mugica

4.0 out of 5 stars amazing book, but caveat emptor
I think that Allen Hatcher has given us all something very valuable in this book. If you are like me, you've had those moments when reading in a math book when you read a... Read more
Published 5 days ago by mark

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent modern introduction
This is an excellent introduction to the subject. It's affordable, well-written, and the topics are well chosen. Read more
Published 2 months ago by hardly_b

5.0 out of 5 stars very good!
I like this book a lot! It's comprehensive and clear and has lots of examples. Don't buy it from amazon though, it's available for free from Hatcher's website along with chapters... Read more
Published 19 months ago by tiger taco

2.0 out of 5 stars One of the worst textbooks ever.
The only good thing about this textbook is that it contains possibly every topic that an instructor could conceive of covering in an introductory course in algebraic topology... Read more
Published 22 months ago by D. Dasilva

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for geometers
I have taught graduate algebraic topology courses three times from this book. My overall feeling is that, despite a few flaws, I have not seen another book I would rather use --... Read more
Published on August 23, 2007 by Tom Braden

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely a Bible
This is certainly a modern classic that predominates algebraic topology courses like 18.905/6 at MIT and Part II and III Mathematical Tripos at Cambridge. Read more
Published on August 22, 2007 by Justin Curry

5.0 out of 5 stars Bible of Algebraic Topology
You can not find a better book that explains and covers this beautiful subject better than Allen Hatcher's Algebraic Topology. Read more
Published on May 8, 2007 by C. Katouli

1.0 out of 5 stars same old song
Are all algebraic topology texts equivalent up to
homotopy? This ground has been covered ad nauseum
with many many texts giving the same material, the
same... Read more
Published on September 1, 2006 by reader

4.0 out of 5 stars The Good and the Bad
Allen Hatcher has gone to great length's in order to create a text which, albeit overly verbose, can be used as a gentle introduction to modern Algebraic Topology. Read more
Published on May 25, 2006 by Jason Schorn

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   




Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.