Moonshine: The First Quarter Century and Beyond: Proceedings of a Workshop on the Moonshine Conjectures and Vertex Algebras

The theory of 'Monstrous Moonshine' has been a major development in mathematics since 1979. Beginning with remarkable conjectures relating finite group theory and number theory that stimulated an outpouring of new ideas, 'Monstrous Moonshine' deeply involves many different areas of mathematics, as well as string theory and conformal field theory in physics. It has changed the landscape of many fields. This volume consists of 17 papers by research leaders, based on talks presented at a workshop held to mark the anniversary of the 'Monstrous Moonshine' conjectures. The papers, which include surveys of many important developments, will give the reader a view of a wide range of current activity and promising directions for future research.