Reference request: Chern classes in algebraic geometry I have encountered Chern classes numerous times, but so far i have been able to work my way around them. However, the time has come to actually learn what they mean.
I am looking for a reference that treats Chern classes in algebraic geometry over $\mathbb{C}$. It is no problem if only varieties are treated and not general schemes. I will be requiring only basic knowledge: definitions and some way to calculate them.
Thanks!
 A: A non-standard reference is Hirzebruch's book:
Hirzebruch, Friedrich (1995) [1956], Topological methods in algebraic geometry, Classics in Mathematics, Berlin, New York: Springer-Verlag, ISBN 978-3-540-58663-0, MR 1335917
I heard Tom Farrell suggest this is a good book from a purely algebraic point of view. 
A: Milnor's book Characteristic Classes is always a good choice.  There were some lecture notes by Chern that I remember liking quite a bit but I haven't been able to find the title.  Both of these titles use the Chern-Weil approach to Chern classes.  I think this is one of the more accessible approaches.
A: There is an appendix in Hartshorne that gives the basic properties, and is quite brief but sufficient to learn how to do some basic computations. I believe a standard, detailed reference for algebraic geometers is Fulton's Intersection Theory. And while I haven't read them yet, browsing through Gathmann's notes there seems to be a nice exposition in the final chapter.
A: In my opinion the best reference is by far Grothendieck's La théorie des classes de Chern.     
This seminal article was published in 1958, is purely algebraic and is valid in characteristic $p$.
Needless to say it doesn't necessitate any differential geometry: no curvature of connections here!    
This article  was written before Grothendieck introduced  scheme theory and is incredibly elementary, probably the simplest text he has ever written!
It relies on the purely geometric idea that given a vector bundle $E$ on the variety $X$, you should consider the associated projective bundle $\mathbb P(E)$ over $X$, lift $E$ to $\mathbb P(E)$, quotient out the tautological line  bundle and iterate.
This idea is "childish", an adjective   Grothendieck loves to apply to his  work, and incredibly powerful.    
Even differential geometers/algebraic topologists  use it:  Bott and Tu introduce characteristic classes by means of Grothendieck's construction in their celebrated Differential Forms in Algebraic Topology.
 And incidentally their treatment is also an excellent introduction to Chern classes: the ideas are from Grothendieck but there are more applications/examples in their book.
A: The best short introduction (in my opinion) to get you going with Chern classes in algebraic geometry is Zach Tietler's "An informal introduction to computing with Chern classes", which can be found here:
http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=zach_teitler
This is a purely algebraic treatment with lots of basic examples. 
