The second text in this two-book series extends the classical material of Volume I, which focuses on field theory and the ideal theory of Noetherian rings and Dedekind domains. The connection of Volume II's material to algebraic geometry is stressed throughout the presentation, making this book a practical introduction to some basic concepts and the arithmetical foundations of algebraic geometry.

The opening chapter deals with properties of places and is followed by a chapter that explores the classical properties of polynomial and power series rings and their applications to algebraic geometry. The final chapter examines the theory of local rings, which provides the algebraic basis for the local study of algebraic and analytical varieties. Several helpful Appendixes conclude the text.