What are the best books about group theory

(mathematics)?
Harris B. Daniels, Visiting Professor of Mathematics at Amherst College.
Upvoted by Anurag Bishnoi, Ph.D. student in Mathematics at Ghent University. Yair Livne,
B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Mathematics Daniel McLaury, Ph.D. Student in Mathematics at University
of Illinois at C
Abstract Algebra by Dummit and Foote - The first 220 pages are all about groups and group
actions. This is really the quintessential first graduate text in Groups/Rings/Fields/etc. There is
also a very nice chapter Galois groups at the end of the book.
http://www.amazon.com/Abstract-A...
If you are looking for a more gentle (undergraduate) approach I would suggest one of two book:
Abstract Algebra by I. N. Herstein - This book starts by covering set theory, mappings, induction
and the complex numbers so that the chapter on groups can be motivated by examples.
http://www.amazon.com/Abstract-A...
Abstract Algebra: An Introduction by Thomas W. Hungerford - This book is bigger and more
rigorous than Herstein, but doesn't introduce groups until chapter seven after it introduces rings.
This makes sense since the motivating examples (polynomials and the integers) are really rings
(a more general structure than groups) so they should be examined first in their most general
setting so as groups they seem more simple. I personally don't subscribe to this logic, but from
someone who is more application minded and less abstract, this might be easier.
http://www.amazon.com/Abstract-A...
Solutions are readily available for all of these books. Just be careful, there are a lot of bad
solutions out there.
Edit
This semester I am teaching an undergraduate Groups, Rings, and Fields course and I am using
Abstract Algebra: A First Course (Second Edition) by Dan Saracino. The book has really grown
on me. I think it is at a good level for self studying. Not too hard and technical and well
organized. It lacks a little in its treatment of dihedral groups and leaves group actions and the
orbit stabilizer formula as an exercise, but it is easy to find supplements on these. See Keith
Conrad's Expository papers. The book also shows its age in the way it is type set, but this is easy
to get past.
---Anurag Bishnoi, Ph.D. student in Mathematics at Ghent University.

Anurag has 100+ answers and 9 endorsements in Mathematics.

My current favourites are:

Algebra by I. Martin Isaacs,

A Course on Group Theory by John S. Rose, and

amazon.com
An Introduction to the Theory of Groups by Joseph J. Rotman.
But then, I was already familiar with basic group theory from undergraduate courses and
standard textbooks like Herstein, Artin and Dummit n Foote. Those would definitely be a good
place to start. Another one that I am yet to explore but which has some great reviews is: Finite
Group Theory by I. Martin Isaacs.
You can also check out this useful page on mathoverflow: What are some good group theory
references?
------Manik Uppal, MD candidate @ Weill Cornell, Researcher @ Mass. General and Weill

Cornell, B...
Upvoted by Anurag Bishnoi, Ph.D. student in Mathematics at Ghent University.
I'm a fan of Dummit and Foote, a book mentioned in another response. I'm going to add to the
list A Book of Abstract Algebra by Charles Pinter:
A Book of Abstract Algebra: Second Edition (Dover Books on Mathematics): Charles C Pinter:
9780486474175: Amazon.com: Books
It's written very casually, and each chapter is an average of 7 pages, so it's an easy read overall.
It's also only $10.
I believe the standard intro text is the one by Fraleigh.
------Elden Elmanto, Mathematics PhD student in algebraic geometry/algebraic topology

Upvoted by Anurag Bishnoi, Ph.D. student in Mathematics at Ghent University.

I am surprised that no one has recommended Rotman's book:
http://www.amazon.com/Introducti...
Anyway, if I may say something about my group theory education is that one should not delve

into super deep group theory (beyond, say, the notion of taking quotients) before appreciating
what group theory captures. I am suggesting that one should see group theory in action, most
obviously in Galois theory, before plunging into ideas like the Sylow theorems or classification
of finite simple groups.
---Artin's Abstract Algebra has stuff on groups, and is imo covers less material but is
more insightful than Hungerford or Dummit & Foote. For the Graduate level, Lang's
Algebra is the gold standard.

---Chris Aldrich, recovering mathematics addict

Upvoted by Anurag Bishnoi, Ph.D. student in Mathematics at Ghent University.

Most of the previous answers seem to focus a bit more on the general abstract algebra side of
mathematics which necessarily cover groups as a topic amongst many. But for simply covering
groups for groups' sake, take a look at anything written by J.J. Rotman from his introductory
abstract algebra text to some of his (older) group theory specific books to his magnum opus
graduate level Springer text on groups.
----Babak Zakeri, Computer Hardware Engineer

Abstract Algebra: A First Course. By Dan Saracino

I haven't seen any other book explaining the basic concepts of abstract algebra this beautifully.
It is divided in two parts and the first part is only about groups though. The second part is an
introduction to rings and fields.
Then there are:
A First Course in Abstract Algebra. By John B. Fraleigh.
Covers many concepts. And is a good introduction to solvable groups, butterfly lemma, JordanHoldem theorem and etc.
An Introduction to the Theory of Groups. By Joseph J. Rotman.
Which is a more advanced book and more difficult to read. But it is a book that is dedicated to
group theory only! You can find many enjoyable and elegant theorems, lemmas and corollaries
about simple groups, solvable groups, automorphisms, and etc in its text and its exercises.
Topics in Algebra. By I.N. Herstein.
Which is not only about group theory and includes ring theory and linear algebra too. However

you may find different kinds of proofs for some theorems of group theory here!
A Course in the Theory of Groups. By Derek J.S. Robinson.
This was the most advanced book I read when I was reading about group theory (and is a
graduate book as far as I know). The content of Dan Saracino's book is covered in the first
chapter of this book! And for some of the theorems that are proven in less than a page here, it
takes several pages actually to open the problem and understand the proof. I never finished the
book but it covers many concepts such as representations, GF groups and etc.

About books in more advanced level, I don't know much, since math wasn't my major actually!

--------Debanjana Kundu, nothing yet :P

I am surprised nobody has mentioned

1. Algebra by Michael Artin
2. (Topics in) Contemporary Algebra by Gallian
----Phil Darnowsky, Amateur math geek

I'm having a good time with Robert Ash's Basic Abstract Algebra, available for free online or as
an inexpensive paper version.
Written 4 Jun, 2012. 1 upvote. 1,015 views.
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