Book excerpt: Here is an introduction to the theory of quantum groups with emphasis on the spectacular connections with knot theory and Drinfeld's recent fundamental contributions. It presents the quantum groups attached to SL2 as well as the basic concepts of the theory of Hopf algebras. Coverage also focuses on Hopf algebras that produce solutions of the Yang-Baxter equation and provides an account of Drinfeld's elegant treatment of the monodromy of the Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equations.