This book, which grew out of Steven Bleiler's lecture notes from a course given by Andrew Casson at the University of Texas, is designed to serve as an introduction to the applications of hyperbolic geometry to low dimensional topology. In particular it provides a concise exposition of the work of Neilsen and Thurston on the automorphisms of surfaces. The reader requires only an understanding of basic topology and linear algebra, while the early chapters on hyperbolic geometry and geometric structures on surfaces can profitably be read by anyone with a knowledge of standard Euclidean geometry desiring to learn more abour other 'geometric structures'.