Algebraic topology is a basic part of modern mathematics and some knowledge of this area is indispensable for any advanced work relating to geometry, including topology itself, differential geometry, algebraic geometry and Lie groups. This book provides a treatment of algebraic topology both for teachers of the subject and for advanced graduate students in mathematics either specializing in this area or continuing on to other fields. J. Peter May's approach reflects the enormous internal developments within algebraic topology, most of which are largely unknown to mathematicians in other fields. But he also retains the classical presentations of various topics where appropriate. Most chapters end with problems that further explore and refine the concepts presented. The final four chapters provide sketches of substantial areas of algebraic topology and the book concludes with a list of suggested readings for those interested in delving further into the field.

These notes are based on the course of lectures I gave at Harvard in the fall of 1964. They constitute a self-contained account of vector bundles and K-theory assuming only the rudiments of point-set topology and linear algebra. One of the features of the treatment is that no use is made of ordinary homology or cohomology theory. In fact, rational cohomology is defined in terms of K-theory.

《组合代数拓扑(影印版)》内容简介：Combinatorial algebraic topology is a fascinating and dynamic field at the crossroads of algebraic topology and discrete mathematics. This volume is the first comprehensive treatment of the subject in book form. The first part of the book constitutes a swft walk through the main tools of algebraic topology，including Stiefel-Whitney characteristic classes，which are needed for the later. parts. Readers-graduate students and working mathematicians alike-will probably find particularly useful the second part，which contains an in-depth discussion of the major research techniques of combinatorial algebraic topology. Our presentation of standard topics is quite different from that of existing texts. In addition， several new themes，such as spectral sequences，are included. Although applications are sprinkled throughout the second part，they are principal focus of the third part，which is entirely devoted to developing the topological structure theory for graph homomorphisms. The main benefit for the reader will be the prospect of fairly quickly getting to the forefront of modem research in this active field.

《代数拓扑导论(英文版)》介绍了：There is a canard that every textbook of algebraic topology either ends with the definition of the Klein bottle or is a personal communication to .I.H.C. Whitehead. Of course, this is false, as a giance at the books of Hilton and Wylie, Maunder, Munkres, and Schubert reveals. Still, the canard does reflect some truth. Too often one finds too much generality and too little attention to details.