The author has gone to great lengths to produce a book that takes the student a fair way into abstract algebra without too much pain. Great explanations that give you an intuitive understanding why things are true, and well chosen exercises that take you further. Always he tells you why you are doing something.<br><br>I think most people embarking on learning abstract algebra could benefit from this book, which gives you a good overview, with proofs, but without excessive formalism and terseness.