Shafarevich's Basic Algebraic Geometry has been a classic and universally used introduction  to the subject since its first appearance over 40 years ago. As the translator writes in a prefatory note, ``For all [advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate] students, and for the many specialists in other branches of math who need a liberal education in algebraic geometry, Shafarevich’s book is a must.'' The third edition, in addition to some minor corrections, now offers a new treatment of the Riemann--Roch theorem for curves, including a proof from first principles.

Shafarevich's book is an attractive and accessible introduction to algebraic geometry, ... Read moresuitable for beginning students and nonspecialists, and the new edition is set to remain a popular introduction to the field.