Statistical studies of extreme values analyze observed extremes and forecast further extremes. It asks whether an individual observation in a sample taken from a distribution falls outside what may reasonably expected, and whether series of extreme values fall outside what may reasonably be expected. Here, Gumbel (statistics, Columbia U.) examines the aims and tools of statistical studies of extreme values, order statistics and their exceedances, exact distribution of extremes, the first asymptotic distribution, uses of the first asymptote, the second and third asymptotes, and the range. This is an unabridged reprint of the 1958 edition published by Columbia University Press. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)