Bruno Courcelle is a Professor at Bordeaux 1 University and a member of LaBRI (the Bordeaux Laboratory of Computer Science, CNRS) and of the Institut Universitaire de France. After studying at the École Normale Supérieure, he was a researcher at INRIA (1972–8), before becoming a Professor at Bordeaux in 1979. He obtained his PhD (supervised by M. Nivat), in 1976. He is on the editorial boards for the journals Information and Computation and Logical Methods in Computer Science.

• Foreword Maurice Nivat; Introduction; 1. Overview; 2. Graph algebras and widths of graphs; 3. Equational and recognizable sets in many-sorted algebras; 4. Equational and recognizable sets of graphs; 5. Monadic second-order logic; 6. Algorithmic applications; 7. Monadic second-order transductions; 8. Transductions of terms and words; 9. Relational structures; Conclusion and open problems; References; Index of notation; Index.

'In its huge breadth and depth the authors manage to provide a comprehensive study of monadic second-order logic on graphs covering almost all aspects of the theory that can be presented from a language theoretical or algebraic point of view. There is currently no other textbook or any other source that matches the range of materials covered in this book. As such it is a fantastic resource for those who to study this area [and] will undoubtedly turn into the standard reference for this area.' Stephan Kreutzer, Mathematical Reviews

Bruno Courcelle is a Professor at Bordeaux 1 University and a member of LaBRI (the Bordeaux Laboratory of Computer Science, CNRS) and of the Institut Universitaire de France. After studying at the École Normale Supérieure, he was a researcher at INRIA (1972–8), before becoming a Professor at Bordeaux in 1979. He obtained his PhD (supervised by M. Nivat), in 1976. He is on the editorial boards for the journals Information and Computation and Logical Methods in Computer Science.

• Foreword Maurice Nivat; Introduction; 1. Overview; 2. Graph algebras and widths of graphs; 3. Equational and recognizable sets in many-sorted algebras; 4. Equational and recognizable sets of graphs; 5. Monadic second-order logic; 6. Algorithmic applications; 7. Monadic second-order transductions; 8. Transductions of terms and words; 9. Relational structures; Conclusion and open problems; References; Index of notation; Index.

'In its huge breadth and depth the authors manage to provide a comprehensive study of monadic second-order logic on graphs covering almost all aspects of the theory that can be presented from a language theoretical or algebraic point of view. There is currently no other textbook or any other source that matches the range of materials covered in this book. As such it is a fantastic resource for those who to study this area [and] will undoubtedly turn into the standard reference for this area.' Stephan Kreutzer, Mathematical Reviews

Bruno Courcelle is a Professor at Bordeaux 1 University and a member of LaBRI (the Bordeaux Laboratory of Computer Science, CNRS) and of the Institut Universitaire de France. After studying at the École Normale Supérieure, he was a researcher at INRIA (1972–8), before becoming a Professor at Bordeaux in 1979. He obtained his PhD (supervised by M. Nivat), in 1976. He is on the editorial boards for the journals Information and Computation and Logical Methods in Computer Science.

• Foreword Maurice Nivat; Introduction; 1. Overview; 2. Graph algebras and widths of graphs; 3. Equational and recognizable sets in many-sorted algebras; 4. Equational and recognizable sets of graphs; 5. Monadic second-order logic; 6. Algorithmic applications; 7. Monadic second-order transductions; 8. Transductions of terms and words; 9. Relational structures; Conclusion and open problems; References; Index of notation; Index.

'In its huge breadth and depth the authors manage to provide a comprehensive study of monadic second-order logic on graphs covering almost all aspects of the theory that can be presented from a language theoretical or algebraic point of view. There is currently no other textbook or any other source that matches the range of materials covered in this book. As such it is a fantastic resource for those who to study this area [and] will undoubtedly turn into the standard reference for this area.' Stephan Kreutzer, Mathematical Reviews