The impact and influence of Jean-Pierre Serre's work have been notable ever since his doctoral thesis on homotopy groups. The abundance of significant results and deep insight contained in his research and survey papers ranging through topology, several complex variables, and algebraic geometry to number theory, group theory, commutative algebra and modular forms, continues to provide inspiring reading for mathematicians working in these areas, in their research and their teaching.
Characteristic of Serre's publications are the many open questions he formulated suggesting further research directions. Four volumes specify how he has provided comments on and corrections to most articles, and described the present status of the open questions with reference to later results.
Jean-Pierre Serre is one of a few mathematicians to have won the Fields medal, the Abel prize, and the Wolf prize.
From the reviews of Vols. I-III: "Since their publication in 1986 J-P. Serre's Collected Papers have already become one of the classical references in mathematical research. This is on the one hand due to the completeness of the collection (132 items) and on the other, of course, due to the beautiful and clear expositions of Serre's papers and their influence on mathematics. As listed in the preface, the three volumes cover almost all articles published in mathematical journals between 1949 and 1984, the summaries of the author's courses at the Collège de France since 1956, some of his Séminaire notes, and some items not previously published. [...] The author's notes at the end of each volume giving corrections and important recent progress as well as improvements of the main results represent a highlight of this collection. The mathematical community definitely looks forward to further volume(s) of Serre's outstanding work."Zentralblatt MATH"These volumes collect almost all of the research and expository papers of J.-P. Serre published in mathematical journals through 1984, as well as some of his seminar reports, and a few items not previously published. .... Throughout his writings, Serre has liberally sprinkled open questions and conjectures. Most endnotes list subsequent progress made on these questions or improvements to the main results of the papers. Some make additional comments, and a few are corrections. These endnotes alone justify the publication of the collected works. Serre is one of the masters of mathematical exposition...." -- James Milne, University of Michigan, in Math Reviews
