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Reviewer: Gunther W. Schmidt

This rather voluminous text contains about 420 numbered definitions, theorems, lemmas, and examples. The introduction (Part 1) is nearly a book of its own, extending over 68 pages. However, one can learn much in reading it. The main parts of the book are aligned along the following chapters: “Inductive Assertion Method” (chapter 2), “Shared Variable Concurrency” (chapter 3), and “Synchronous Message Passing” (chapter 4). Together, these chapters constitute Part 2. In an analogous way, Hoare logic is studied in several chapters of Part 4. First, yet another discussion of the Hoare calculus in comparison with Floyd’s inductive assertion method is given (chapter 9). This establishes the basis for discussion of concurrency investigations on these topics: “Shared Variable Concurrency” (chapter 10), and “Synchronous Message Passing” (chapter 11). In between, Part 3 is devoted to compositional proof methods. The authors concentrate on both assumption-commitment-based reasoning and on rely-guarantee-based reasoning in studying synchronous message passing and shared-variable concurrency. Part 5 ends the book by considering the shared variable approach, with asynchronous communication. Temporal logic is used, as well as partial orders, for the handling of a logic fragment. The book is more or less self-contained. It is capable of replacing a multitude of original articles, written in a diversity of styles and notations, with one coherent text. Wherever appropriate, however, the book does refer in detail to original research, and includes many historical hints. It also provides a rich choice of exercises. I am not sure whether I should be more impressed by the picture gallery included or by the content of the book. It will certainly support the future fame of the persons included. Online Computing Reviews Service