A prominent Dutch astronomer collected and summarized the richest material on high-luminosity stars until 1980. Information is provided on various parameters of stars, their atmospheres, crowns, mass losses, flares, etc. Included are data on nova and supernova stars and on the cores of planetary nebulae. The book is equipped with an extensive bibliography. All this allows you to use the book as a reference manual. For astronomers of all specialties and physicists interested in the problems of the internal structure and evolution of stars, as well as senior astrophysicists.