Carl Ludwig Siegel gave a course of lectures on the Geometry of Numbers
at New York University during the academic year 1945-46, when there were
hardly any books on the subject other than Minkowski's original one.
This volume stems from Siegel's requirements of accuracy in detail, both
in the text and in the illustrations, but involving no changes in the
structure and style of the lectures as originally delivered. This book
is an enticing introduction to Minkowski's great work. It also reveals
the workings of a remarkable mind, such as Siegel's with its precision
and power and aesthetic charm. It is of interest to the aspiring as well
as the established mathematician, with its unique blend of arithmetic,
algebra, geometry, and analysis, and its easy readability.