Pesin theory consists of the study of the theory of non-uniformly hyperbolic diffeomorphisms. The aim of this book is to provide the reader with a straightforward account of this theory, following the approaches of Katok and Newhouse. The notes are divided into two parts. The first develops the basic theory, starting with general ergodic theory and introducing Liapunov exponents. Part Two deals with the applications of Pesin theory and contains an account of the existence (and distribution) of periodic points. It closes with a look at stable manifolds, and gives some results on absolute continuity. These lecture notes provide a unique introduction to Pesin theory and its applications. The author assumes that the reader has only a good background of undergraduate analysis and nothing further, so making the book accessible to complete newcomers to the field.* No competing titles * Ergodic theory is a topical subject (chaos)