A Seminar on Graph Theory

Presented in 1962–63 by experts at University College, London, these lectures offer a variety of perspectives on graph theory. Although the opening chapters form a coherent body of graph theoretic concepts, this volume is not a text on the subject but rather an introduction to the extensive literature of graph theory. The seminar's topics are geared toward advanced undergraduate students of mathematics.
Lectures by this volume's editor, Frank Harary, include "Some Theorems and Concepts of Graph Theory," "Topological Concepts in Graph Theory," "Graphical Reconstruction," and other introductory talks. A series of invited lectures follows, featuring presentations by other authorities on the faculty of University College as well as visiting scholars. These include "Extremal Problems in Graph Theory" by Paul Erdös, "Complete Bipartite Graphs: Decomposition into Planar Subgraphs," by Lowell W. Beineke, "Graphs and Composite Games," by Cedric A. B. Smith, and several others.

Frank Harary (1921–2005) was a prominent American mathematician and expert on graph theory, about which he wrote several books. He taught at the University of Michigan from 1948 to 1986 and was later Distinguished Professor Emeritus at New Mexico State University at Las Cruces.

Preface Lectures by Frank Harary  1. Some Theorems and Concepts of Graph Theory  2. Topological Concepts in Graph Theory  3. Graphical Reconstruction  4. A Proof of Polya's Enumeration Theorem  5. Applications of Polya's Theorem to Permutation Groups  6. Enumeration of Graphs and Digraphs Invited Lectures  7. Complete Bipartite Graphs: Decomposition into Planar Subgraphs.   Lowell W. Beineke  8. Extremal Problems in Graph Theory.   Paul Erdos  10. The Minimal Regular Graph Containing a a Given Graph.   Paul Erdos     11. Various Proofs of Cayley's Formula for Counting Trees.   J. W. Moon  12. On Well-Quasi-ordering Trees.   C. St. J. A. Nash-Williams  13. Universal Graphs.   Richard Rado  14. Graphs and Composite Games.   Cedric A. B. Smith Index