Constructible and perverse sheaves are the algebraic counterpart of the decomposition of a singular space into smooth manifolds, a great geometrical idea due to R. Thom and H. Whitney. These sheaves, generalizing the local systems that are so ubiquitous in mathematics, have powerful applications to the topology of such singular spaces (mainly algebraic and analytic complex varieties).

This introduction to the subject can be regarded as a textbook on modern algebraic topology, treating the cohomology of spaces with sheaf (as opposed to constant)coefficients.

The first 5 chapters introduce derived categories, direct and inverse images of sheaf complexes, Verdier duality, constructible and perverse sheaves, vanishing and characteristic cycles. They also discuss relations to D-modules and intersection cohomology. Later chapters apply this powerful tool to the study of the topology of singularities, polynomial functions and hyperplane arrangements.

Some fundamental results, for which excellent sources exist, are not proved but just stated and illustrated by examples and corollaries. In this way, the reader is guided rather quickly from the basic theory to current research questions, supported in this by examples and exercises.

From the very beginning, algebraic topology has developed under the influ- ence of the problems posed by trying to understand the topological properties of complex algebraic varieties (e.g., the pioneering work by Poincare and Lefschetz). Especially in the work of Lefschetz [Lf2], the idea is made explicit that singularities are important in the study of the topology even in the case of smooth varieties. What is known nowadays about the topology of smooth and singular vari- eties is quite impressive. The many existing results may be roughly divided into two classes as follows: (i) very general results or theories, like stratified Morse theory and (mixed) Hodge theory, see, for instance, Goresky-MacPherson [GM], Deligne [Del], and Steenbrink [S6]; and (ii) specific topics of great subtlety and beauty, like the study of the funda- mental group of the complement in [p>2 of a singular plane curve initiated by Zariski or Griffiths' theory relating the rational differential forms to the Hodge filtration on the middle cohomology group of a smooth projec- tive hypersurface. The aim of this book is precisely to introduce the reader to some topics in this latter class. Most of the results to be discussed, as well as the related notions, are at least two decades old, and specialists use them intensively and freely in their work. Nevertheless, it is impossible to find an adequate intro- duction to this subject, which gives a good feeling for its relations with other parts of algebraic geometry and topology.

The body of mathematics developed in the last forty years or so which can be put under the heading Singularity Theory is quite large. And the excellent introductions to this vast sub ject which are already available (for instance AGVJ, BGJ, GiJ, GGJ, LmJ, Mr], WsJ or the more advanced Ln]) cover necessarily only apart of even the most basic topics. The aim of the present book is to introduce the reader to a few important topics from ZoaaZ Singularity Theory. Some of these topics have already been treated in other introductory books (e.g. right and contact finite determinacy of function germs) while others have been considered only in papers (e.g. Mather's Lemma, classification of simple O-dimensional complete intersection singularities, singularities of hyperplane sections and of dual mappings of projective hypersurfaces). Even in the first case, we feel that our treatment is different from the introductions mentioned above - the general reason being that we give special attention to the aompZex anaZytia situation and to the connections with AZgebraia Geometry. We offer now a detailed description of the contents, pOint ing out special aspects and new material (i.e. previously un published, though for the most part surely known to the ts ). Chapter 1 is a short introduction for the beginner. We recall here two basic results (the Submersion Theorem and Morse Lemma) and make a few comments on what is meant by the local behaviour of a function or of a plane algebraic curve."

This textbook provides an accessible introduction to the rich and beautiful area of hyperplane arrangement theory, where discrete mathematics, in the form of combinatorics and arithmetic, meets continuous mathematics, in the form of the topology and Hodge theory of complex algebraic varieties. The topics discussed in this book range from elementary combinatorics and discrete geometry to more advanced material on mixed Hodge structures, logarithmic connections and Milnor fibrations. The author covers a lot of ground in a relatively short amount of space, with a focus on defining concepts carefully and giving proofs of theorems in detail where needed. Including a number of surprising results and tantalizing open problems, this timely book also serves to acquaint the reader with the rapidly expanding literature on the subject. Hyperplane Arrangements will be particularly useful to graduate students and researchers who are interested in algebraic geometry or algebraic topology. The book contains numerous exercises at the end of each chapter, making it suitable for courses as well as self-study.