Finite Simple Groups

The classification of finite simple groups, completed in February 1981, represents a monumental achievement in mathematics, involving hundreds of mathematicians over three decades. The journey began with a pivotal theorem by Walter Feit and John Thompson in 1962, which established that every finite group of odd order is solvable. This groundbreaking work paved the way for the discovery of new sporadic simple groups, including the Janko group in 1965. The book aims to be self-contained by providing definitions of key terms at the end of the Introduction.