This 1989 monograph deals with parametric minimal surfaces in Euclidean space. The author presents a broad survey which extends from the classical beginnings to the current situation whilst highlighting many of the subject's main features and interspersing the mathematical development with pertinent historical remarks. The presentation is complete and is complemented by a bibliography of nearly 1600 references. The careful expository style and emphasis on geometric aspects are extremely valuable. Moreover, in the years leading up to the publication of this book, the theory of minimal surfaces was finding increasing application to other areas of mathematics and the physical sciences ensuring that this account will appeal to non-specialists as well.