These conference papers should dispel any post-classification pessimism about the future of the theory of finite simple groups. Having noted that the theory developed for the classification touches on so few other branches of mathematics, the editor focuses on research in finite simple groups not central to the classification and presents a broad context for the recent results in the field. The papers are aimed at researchers and graduate students in algebra. They pay special attention to current research in sporadic geometry, the Fischer-Griess Monster group, and moonshine. Though all the papers are of high research value, the following papers of unusual significance should be singled out: Frenkel, Lepowsky, and Meurman's construction of the Monster group $F_1$; Conway and Queen's computation of characters of $E_8({\bf C})$; Norton's proof of the uniqueness of the Monster; and Mason's exploration of moonshine.