In this new treatment of one of the most dynamic but difficult topics in modern theory, Chernov and Markarian keep the beginner in mind as they start from the basics and work through all the definitions and give full proofs of the main theorems as they cover basic constructions, Lyapunov exponents and hyperbolicity, dispersing billiards, dynamics of unstable manifolds, ergodic properties, statistical properties, Bunimovich billiards and general focusing chaotic billiards. Readers should have completed graduate courses in measure theory, probability, Riemann geometry, topology and complex analysis. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)