This book is intended to be a systematic text on topological vector spaces and presupposes familiarity with the elements of general topology and linear algebra. Similarly, the elementary facts on Hilbert and Banach spaces are widely known and are not discussed in detail in this book, which is mainly addressed to those readers who have attained and wish to get beyond the introductory level. Each of the chapters is preceded by an introduction and followed by exercises. These exercises are devoted to further results and supplements, in particular, to examples and counter-examples. Hints have been given where it seemed appropriate. This second edition has been thoroughly revised and includes a new chapter on C* and W* algebras.The book has firmly established itself both as a superb introduction to the subject and as a very common source of reference. It is beccoming evident that the book itself will only become irrelevant and pale into insignificance when (and if!) the entire subject of topological vector spaces does. An attractive feature of the book is that it is essentially self-contained, and thus perfectly suitable for senior students having a basic training in the area of elementary functional analysis and set-theoretic topology. My view – let even possibly biased for sentimental resasons – is that the book under review would make for a very practical and useful addition to every matahemtaician’s personal office collection.brVladimir Pestov in Nesletter of the New Zealand Mathematical Society, August 2000pSecond EditionpH.H. Schaefer and M.P. WolffpTopological Vector SpacespThe reliable textbook, highly esteemed by several generations of students since its first edition in 1966 . . . The book contains a large number of interesting exercises . . . the book of Schaefer and Wolff is worth reading.a ZENTRALBLATT MATH