NOTE: 2nd edition, 1996? has been publishedThe author presents a very readable text for someone entering the world of modern algebra. At times, it almost appears to read like a high school text; that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but the comment is meant to convey the clarity and simplicity that Hungerford strives for. Likewise, his examples are often illuminating and thought provoking. But make no mistake, this text provides a very thorough coverage of abstract algebra. There are numerous exercises which are graded A,B, & C according to difficulty. Some solutions are provided.The content is typical of most intro algebra texts. Though, his approach is not quite along traditional lines; he presents ring theory before group theory, and makes a good case for doing so. Toward the end of the text, there is material on applications as well as advanced topics leading up to Galois theory.