Providing a pedagogical introduction to the rapidly developing field of AdS/CFT correspondence this is one of the first texts to provide an accessible introduction to all the necessary concepts needed to engage with the methods tools and applications of AdS/CFT. Without assuming anything beyond an introductory course in quantum field theory it begins by guiding the reader through the basic concepts of field theory and gauge theory general relativity supersymmetry supergravity string theory and conformal field theory before moving on to give a clear and rigorous account of AdS/CFT correspondence. The final section discusses the more specialised applications including QCD quark-gluon plasma and condensed matter. This book is self-contained and learner-focused featuring numerous exercises and examples. It is essential reading for both students and researchers across the fields of particle nuclear and condensed matter physics. Language: English