In this book we study Hilbert schemes of zero-dimensional subschemes of smooth varieties and several related parameter varieties of interest in enumerative geometry. The main aim here is to describe their cohomology and Chow rings. Some enumerative applications are also given. The Weil conjectures are used to compute the Betti numbers of many of the varieties considered, thus also illustrating how this powerful tool can be applied. The book is essentially self-contained, assuming only a basic knowledge of algebraic geometry; it is intended both for graduate students and research mathematicians interested in Hilbert schemes, enumertive geometry and moduli spaces.

Alexander Grothendieck's concepts turned out to be astoundingly powerful and productive, truly revolutionizing algebraic geometry. He sketched his new theories in talks given at the Seminaire Bourbaki between 1957 and 1962. He then collected these lectures in a series of articles in Fondements de la geometrie algebrique (commonly known as FGA).