Following an introductory chapter on stellar fundamentals, the story begins of the lives and deaths of the stars. The authors take us on a journey from the sun, a comparatively young star, to supernovae - manifestations of dramatic death. On the way, the reader, advanced undergraduate or beginning postgraduate, is presented with such topics as stellar evolution, the hydrodynamics of stellar interiors, variability, and solar and stellar activity. This comprehensive but rigorous text, building on the theoretical and observational advances of recent years - for instance, astrophysical theory in the light of Supernova 1987A - is required reading for all serious students of astronomy.