This is a reference book addressed mainly to non-experts. It aims to guide through the variety of monographs and surveys in the area of algebra. However, several important branches of contemporary algebra are omitted. For example: linear groups and representation theory, commutative algebra, finite groups. The volume is composed of three chapters: preparatory one — on relations, functions and partially ordered sets, and two main chapters — groups, and rings and modules, including the most important classes of nonassociative rings. (The second volume (see Zbl 0768.00004) covers semigroups, lattices, universal algebra and categories.) Basic definitions are followed by the most important results (without proofs) accompanied by a rich bibliographical information, mainly involving monographs and surveys. The total bibliography consists of 421 titles.