Compared to What?: An Introduction to the Analysis of Algorithms

Rating:
Summary: Making algorithms interesting
Review: Algorithms can be very dry and boring. Anyone who has had a boring tenured professor read directly from his textbook during class understands this.

Rawlins accurately captures the essence of solving theoretical problems, and presents it in a way accesible to a computer science major. (Relevant at the senior or 1st year graduate level) You'll come away with less depth than the Knuth title, but much more appreciation and understanding for the How and Why of problem solving.

This book is one of the very few that survived the trip from classroom to permanent bookshelf.

Rating:
Summary: Best Book on A. Analysis
Review: I am a senior in computer science & I'm taking my first course on Algorithm Analysis. Our instructor is using another book. Every year he picks a different book. I found this at our library & I've never read a computer book on this subject matter that is so useful. The theme of the book is it guides you thru "thinking about" the topic & all the other ramifications of doing things. You'll find yourself washing dishes differently after this book. Otherwise, if you looking for a better book "Introduction to Algorithms," Corman, Rivest, ..; is the definative text. And of course Knuth's monumental tome.

Reader from the Windy State

Rating:
Summary: Good book
Review: I disagree with the first comment. While I know more about the algorithms and analysys than author probably expected about reader, I found the book interesting and entertaining. It forced me to think again about the old known thinks, brought me new views and new analogies between them. This is very important.

Covers surprisingly wide range of ideas from various subjects. Contains analysis, complexity theory, logic, information theory, probability and more. Don't go to the depth but gives you clear idea what is the topic about.

And I like the style book is written. It force you to read it just because it is fun even in situations I would never read serious algorithm analysis textbook.