This book gives a systematic introduction to the fundamentals of the following three topics:
* - spectral theory of Banach *-algebras,
* - representation theory of normed *-algebras,
* - spectral theory of representations.
Prerequisites are a course in functional analysis covering the Commutative Gelfand-Naimark theorem, as well as a working knowledge of measure theory including the Riesz Representation Theorem. The text thus is situated at an intermediate level, and the reader who has mastered this book will have no problem taking up more advanced texts. What is not included in the book: the theory of H*-algebras, group algebras of locally compact groups, and spectral algebras are not treated for lack of free energy. There are excellent treatments of these topics available, and we would have had nothing to add to these presentations.
