Generalized Analytic Continuation

Book excerpt: The theory of generalized analytic continuation studies continuations of meromorphic functions in situations where traditional theory says there is a natural boundary. This broader theory touches on a remarkable array of topics in classical analysis, as described in the book. The authors use the strong analogy with the summability of divergent series to motivate the subject. They are careful to cover the various types of continuations, attempting to unify them and suggesting some open questions. The book also addresses the role of such continuations in approximation theory and operator theory. The introductory overview provides a useful look at the history and context of the theory.