Algorithmic and Computer Methods for Three-Manifolds

• 1. Preliminary information.- 2. Surfaces.- 3. The homeotopy group of a surface.- 4. The presentation of three-dimensional manifolds by the identification of faces of polyhedra.- 5. Heegaard splittings and Heegaard Diagrams.- 6. Algorithmic recognition of the sphere.- 7. Connected sums.- 8. Knots and links.- 9. Surgery Along Links.- 10. Seifert Manifolds.- 11. Class ?.- 12. The Haken Method.- Comments on the Figures.- References.

'I really enjoyed this book; it is great fun and full of enthusiasm for the subject. ... Furthermore, there are some excellent figures, which bring the book to life and often show really clearly what is going on.' Bulletin of the London Mathematical Society, 32 (2000) 'This book is an attractive and comprehensive introduction to three-dimensional topology. The book is readable and inviting. Its many illustrations make it particularly accessible. This book promises to be a valuable text and reference for an exciting area of mathematics.' SIAM Review, 41:2 (1999)