In these lectures we explain the concept of supergravity p-branes and BPS
black holes. Introducing an audience of general relativists to all the
necessary geometry related with extended supergravity (special geometry,
symplectic embeddings and the like) we describe the general properties of N=2
black holes, the structure of central charges in extended supergravity and the
description of black hole entropy as an invariant of the U duality group. Then,
after explaining the concept and the use of solvable Lie algebras we present
the detailed construction of 1/2, 1/4 and 1/8 supersymmetry preserving black
holes in the context of N=8 supergravity. The Lectures are meant to be
introductory and self contained for non supersymmetry experts but at the same
time fully detailed and complete on the subject.Comment: LaTeX, 132 pages, Book.sty. Lecture Notes for the SIGRAV Graduate
School in Contemporary Relativity, Villa Olmo, Como First Course, April 199
