This is a reprint of a work originally published in 1963 (Pergamon Press). Aimed at advanced undergraduate and graduate students in physics and chemistry programs, this text presents an introduction to the elementary ideas of group theory and representation theory. McWeeny (emeritus, U. of Pisa, Italy) emphasizes the finite groups describing the symmetry of regular polyhedra and of repeating patterns. More than 100 fully worked examples serve to illustrate the main processes. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)