Book excerpt: An Introduction to Operator Algebras is a concise text/reference that focuses on the fundamental results in operator algebras. Results discussed include Gelfand's representation of commutative C*-algebras, the GNS construction, the spectral theorem, polar decomposition, von Neumann's double commutant theorem, Kaplansky's density theorem, the (continuous, Borel, and L8) functional calculus for normal operators, and type decomposition for von Neumann algebras. Exercises are provided after each chapter.