In the author's view, this book has at least three objectives. First, the book aims to serve as a (graduate) textbook of integral equations. The first chapter introduces the reader to the subject, in the third chapter several basic facts are included on Volterra type equations (both classical and abstract), while the remaining chapters cover a variety of topics to be selected to suit the particular interest of the instructor and students. Second, the book is aimed to serve as a reference in the field of integral equations and some of their applications. Of course, I cannot claim to provide comprehensive coverage of this fast-developing area of research, but I hope that the topics featured in the book will convince the reader that integral equations constitute a very useful and successful tool in contemporary research, unifying many particular results available for other classes of functional equations (differential, integrodifferential, delayed argument). Third, the book provides a good number of results, and describes methods, in the field of integral equations, a feature that will help the young researcher to become acquainted with this field and continue the investigation of the topics whose presentation in the book suggests further development.

Most of the material included in the book is accessible to any reader with a reasonable background in real analysis, and some acquaintance with the introductory concepts of functional analysis. There are several sections which require more sophisticated knowledge of functional analysis (both linear and nonlinear).