Profinite groups are of interest to mathematicians working in a variety of areas, including number theory, abstract groups, and analysis. The underlying theory reflects these diverse influences, with methods drawn from both algebra and topology and with fascinating connections to field theory. This is the first book to be dedicated solely to the study of general profinite groups. It provides a thorough introduction to the subject, designed not only to convey the basic facts but also to enable readers to enhance their skills in manipulating profinite groups. The first few chapters lay the foundations and explain the role of profinite groups in number theory. Later chapters explore various aspects of profinite groups in more detail; these contain accessible and lucid accounts of many major theorems. Prerequisites are kept to a minimum with the basic topological theory summarized in an introductory chapter.

It was 1905 when the man destined to become Waco's photographer first opened his shop.Fred Gildersleeve documented the city he loved, establishing his legacy through iconic images that have become Waco's visual memory. The 186 Gildersleeve images within capture the spirit of early Waco. Born in 1880 in Boulder, Colorado, Gildersleeve spent most of his childhood in Kirksville, Missouri. Throughout his early years, Gildersleeve sold his pictures for 25 cents apiece to pay for his education, working his way through photography school in Effingham, Illinois before launching his career in Waco. An adventurer, Gildersleeve was known for speeding through town on an Excelsior motorbikeaand later in a Model T Fordawith his assistant in the sidecar. He avidly took pictures of everyday life in Waco, becoming the official photographer for Baylor and the State Fair of Texas. From special occasions to sporting events, from construction projects to key figures, Gildersleeve documented Waco's growth as a thriving industrial city during the early days of the twentieth century. Gildersleeve's photos are not just history; they are art. He pioneered panoramas and aerial shots using Waco as his subject. Gildersleeve's photos are now known for their clarity and detail that resemble and surpass modern-day digital photography. The photos in this book take viewers back in time to their favorite Waco landmarks and do so with timeless creativity.

3,822 perimeter miles. 11,247 rivers and streams. 8,749 feet at its height. 268,596 square miles in total. Texas is big. Julius Caesar once quipped that all of ancient Gaul could be divided up into three parts. Texas resists such easy division. Mapping Texas, edited by John S. Wilson, presents an array of early maps, dating from 1561 to 1860. The volume features selections from the extensive material housed in the Frances C. Poage Map Room of The Texas Collection at Baylor University. The painstaking labors of Spanish, French, English, and Mexican mapmakers illustrate the progressive and differing views of Texas geography and boundaries. Originally used as guides to new destinations, these maps also staked new claims, fueled by new dreams, on new territory that settlers had heard about but never seen. Page by page, Texas' iconic shape gradually emerges. As now-familiar cities dot this vast expanse of land, railroads trace the outline of rivers and mountain ranges, and ports anchor the curve of the Gulf of Mexico, Texas' rich history comes to life one map at a time. The volume concludes with an analysis of map art and cartouches - beautiful images that both name the map and highlight flora and fauna. A sumptuous delight for mind and eye, this volume lavishly documents the early outlines of the land over which six flags have proudly flown.