Fifty years of novae.

Knowledge gained about novae over the last 50 years is reviewed. The realization that a thermonuclear runaway is the source of energy for a nova outburst is discussed along with the spectral development of several novae, the geometry of nova outbursts, postnova development, and the binary nature of novae. Properties of cataclysmic binaries are summarized, with specific attention given to periods, component stars, symbiotic variables, and the lack of correlations between orbital period and outburst range, outburst cycle, and brightness variations. Individual novae considered in some detail include GK Persei, RR Pictoris, V603 Aquilae, CP Puppis, and T Coronae Borealis.