Book excerpt: This self-contained reference/text presents a thorough account of the theory of real function algebras. Employing the intrinsic approach, avoiding the complexification technique, and generalizing the theory of complex function algebras, this single-source volume includes: an introduction to real Banach algebras; various generalizations of the Stone-Weierstrass theorem; Gleason parts; Choquet and Shilov boundaries; isometries of real function algebras; extensive references; and a detailed bibliography.;Real Function Algebras offers results of independent interest such as: topological conditions for the commutativity of a real or complex Banach algebra; Ransford's short elementary proof of the Bishop-Stone-Weierstrass theorem; the implication of the analyticity or antianalyticity of f from the harmonicity of Re f, Re f(2), Re f(3), and Re f(4); and the positivity of the real part of a linear functional on a subspace of C(X).;With over 600 display equations, this reference is for mathematical analysts; pure, applied, and industrial mathematicians; and theoretical physicists; and a text for courses in Banach algebras and function algebras.