Book excerpt: This highly regarded text is directed toward advanced undergraduates and graduate students in mathematics who are interested in developing a firm foundation in the theory of functions of a complex variable. The treatment departs from traditional presentations in its early development of a rigorous discussion of the theory of multiple-valued analytic functions on the basis of analytic continuation. Thus it offers an early introduction of Riemann surfaces, conformal mapping, and the applications of residue theory. M. A. Evgrafov focuses on aspects of the theory that relate to modern research and assumes an acquaintance with the basics of mathematical analysis derived from a year of advanced calculus. Starting with an introductory chapter containing the fundamental results concerning limits, continuity, and integrals, the book addresses analytic functions and their properties, multiple-valued analytic functions, singular points and expansion in series, the Laplace transform, harmonic and subharmonic functions, extremal problems and distribution of values, and other subjects. Chapters are largely self-contained, making this volume equally suitable for the classroom or independent study.