Random matrix theory was developed in the nineteen fifties and sixties by Wigner, Dyson, Mehta and others. Originally conceived to bring some order into the spectra of complex nuclei, the interest in random matrix theory was renewed enormously when Bohigas, Giannoni and Schmit [Boh84] conjectured that it should be applicable to the spectra of all chaotic systems. In the following years overwhelming evidence has been obtained that this conjecture is true. The most important works up to 1965 together with a summarizing text have been reprinted in a book by Porter [Por65] which even up to this day belongs to the standard literature on the topic. The state of the art up to 1980 is compiled in an excellent review article by Brody and others [Bro81]. For the newcomer the most recent survey by Bohigas [Boh89] is recommended.

Two monographs on the subject have to be mentioned. The first one, Random Matrices, was written by Mehta [Meh91], one of the pioneers in the field. The first edition appeared in 1967, the second enlarged one in 1991. Probably there is no really important topic on random matrices which cannot be found there. It is, however, a book for specialists. For those who are only interested in the basic principles, it is much too detailed. The other monograph, Quantum Signatures of Chaos by Haake [Haa91a], has now, a few years after its first appearance, become the standard introduction into the field.