Basic to the entire theory and applications of black hole physics, this book covers the topics needed to understand the key issues in gravitation theory: cosmology and black holes. The topics included are the structure and topology of space-time, exact solutions and singularities, quantum effects in strong gravity fields, and more. ... this book attains uniqueness in its specific approach ... The book is readable and covers interesting material, some of it new and not covered so fully in earlier texts. It can be recommended for the serious student who wishes to study these matters in some detail, particulary the material on cosmic censorship.