Rating: 
Summary: Too much like an advertisement for "3:16"
Review: About two-thirds of this book concerns Knuth's experiences writing a book entitled "3:16." Knuth decided to study the Bible through a sort of stratified random sample: taking Chapter 3, verse 16 from each book of the Bible and studying it in depth. These discussions do have their interest, but I do not feel that "Things A Computer Science Rarely Talks About" really stands on its own. A better title for this book would have been something like "3:16: The Story Behind The Book." Consider chapter 4. This is mostly a series of stories about how Knuth and Herrmann Zapf asked many of the world's leading calligraphers to illuminate the verses he used. He talks about the suble colors used to print them, the delicacy of the originals (not fully picked up by a 600 dpi scanner and requiring pixel-level editing to prepare them for reproduction). It therefore can only be described as irritating to be presented with these pictures, about fifty of them, in the form of little 2x3" halftone reproductions. I do not feel the book delivers much on the promise that Knuth will reveal "the many insights that [he] gained" from the work. He talks a good deal about the reasoning and the process behind the project and it is quite interesting, perhaps even inspiring in the sense of making one wish to do likewise. But his presentation of his own beliefs is rather muted and low-key. I perceive this as modesty, not evasion. Still, it is not what I expected. Consider chapter 4, again: we learn a great deal about how he feels about the esthetics of the calligraphy, how he edited them, how he dealt with issues like calligraphers who inadvertently made mistakes in the text. But are there really any religious insights here? Well, subtle ones, perhaps. I think he is sincere when he says, referring to "3:16," "I am not here today to sell copies of the book." In a discussion, someone asks "What would you recommend for computer science students who have never read the Bible?" and I believe Knuth is joking when he says "The number one recommendation is that they should certainly read my book. You know, it makes a wonderful Christmas gift. More seriously..." Chapters 5 ("Glimpses of God") and 6 ("God And Computer Science") are fascinating, and come close to delivering on the promise of the book. I would gladly read a book-length expansion of this material in these two chapters. Still, on finishing this book, I am aware of two feelings: a) an interest in reading "3:16," and b) an irritation with myself for having purchased this one.
Rating:
Summary: Knuth's personal account of his relationship with God
Review: First of all, this book is a transcript of the lecture series that Knuth gave in MIT in fall 1999. The nature of the content has to be taken into account when reading the book, because there are constraints in lectures that limit the amount and depth of what can be said, compared to that in an actual written book. A significant portion of the lectures (the first 4 out of 6) were devoted to the 3:16 project. It is his effort to get a random sample of the verses in the Bible and study them deeply. It is understandable that Knuth did this, because, as he said, first, he admitted that he doesn't have formal training in religious studies, so he had to speak from his own personal experiences, and second, that the project was the turning point for him in his view of religion and God. Granted, you might be disappointed if you're looking for the ultimate explanation of how computer science and God relate to each other. The last two lectures dealt a bit in finding this explanation, but it seems that because of the constraints of time and scope for the lectures, Knuth didn't dwell too deeply on this issue. Overall, the book is satisfactory as Knuth's personal account, as a computer scientist, on his relationship with God.
Rating:
Summary: I CAN TELL YOU WHETHER OR NOT YOU WILL ENJOY THIS ELEGANTLY.
Review: If you are a mathematician or computer scientist who has an interest in the Bible or religion, this is stimulating reading from an unexpected source. If you are a mathematician or computer scientist with NO interest in the Bible or religion, skip this. For myself, after reading the other reviews, I found the discussion of Knuth's 3:16 project interesting and not a commercial. (you could work it the other way too: maybe if you buy this book, you DON'T have to buy 3:16). I admit to being a little disappointed by Lecture 6, but after the build-up, I'm not sure anything would have lived up to my expectations. Recommended (as long as you observe my caveat above.)
Rating:
Summary: Well written, but boring at times
Review: Knuth, known for his work in computer science, uses this book to talk about how religion and science don't necessarily have to go against each other. Although an easy read, it does drag at points whenever he talks about his work on the 3:16 project. Good for a weekend leisure book.
Rating:
Summary: Well written, but boring at times
Review: Knuth, known for his work in computer science, uses this book to talk about how religion and science don't necessarily have to go against each other. Although an easy read, it does drag at points whenever he talks about his work on the 3:16 project. Good for a weekend leisure book.
Rating: 
Summary: What a waste!
Review: Most of the book is about his other book, 3:16. Only near the end do we get to read what Knuth thinks about God, and here, you will be very disappointed. He trots out a few mundane ideas, like that finite numbers, while not infinite, can still be very big, and therefore adequate for describing the universe and God. Another (unoriginal) idea is that perhaps the universe is one big program similar to Conway's Game of Life (cellular automata - also now discovered/invented by Wolfram), with some randomness thrown in for free will. Finally, there is a panel discussion with a few others (Guy Steele, Manuela Veloso, Harry Lewis, Mitch Kapor). What an incoherent mess! At first, I felt sorry for these people, as they are dealing with a difficult topic, and it is hard to be coherent in real time. They all basically try to use computer science metaphors to describe religious concepts, and do a fairly poor job. That's understandable. But they are also quite annoying, as they are all a pretty self-centered bunch, constantly quoting themselves or work they've done (that doesn't advance the topic at all), and ultimately, you get the feeling they each think they ARE God, with all the "great ideas" and programs and robots they've created and imparted with their wisdom. If you are a computer scientist, you will be disappointed. If you are a theologian, please don't think Knuth (and the others in this book) are representative of other computer scientists as far as this topic goes. ... Definitely a waste of $....
Rating:
Summary: What a waste!
Review: Most of the book is about his other book, 3:16. Only near the end do we get to read what Knuth thinks about God, and here, you will be very disappointed. He trots out a few mundane ideas, like that finite numbers, while not infinite, can still be very big, and therefore adequate for describing the universe and God. Another (unoriginal) idea is that perhaps the universe is one big program similar to Conway's Game of Life (cellular automata - also now discovered/invented by Wolfram), with some randomness thrown in for free will. Finally, there is a panel discussion with a few others (Guy Steele, Manuela Veloso, Harry Lewis, Mitch Kapor). What an incoherent mess! At first, I felt sorry for these people, as they are dealing with a difficult topic, and it is hard to be coherent in real time. They all basically try to use computer science metaphors to describe religious concepts, and do a fairly poor job. That's understandable. But they are also quite annoying, as they are all a pretty self-centered bunch, constantly quoting themselves or work they've done (that doesn't advance the topic at all), and ultimately, you get the feeling they each think they ARE God, with all the "great ideas" and programs and robots they've created and imparted with their wisdom. If you are a computer scientist, you will be disappointed. If you are a theologian, please don't think Knuth (and the others in this book) are representative of other computer scientists as far as this topic goes. ... Definitely a waste of $....
Rating: 
Summary: Knuth timidly comes out of the closet
Review: Perhaps he is wary of Turing's fate. But then, I digress... What trait does Knuth think he has in common with Bill Clinton? Are the assumptions of Chaos Theorists too real? Does Godel's Incompleteness trump Heisenberg's Uncertainty in discussions of faith? These and other nerdy nuggets are skillfully woven into Knuth's Alfred E. Neumann-meets-Albert Einstein excursion into theology. As with Knuth's technical writing, I was lulled into a false sense of complacency by Knuth's colloquial style and sense of humor. While this book is a transcription of lectures/Q&A given by Knuth @ MIT discussing his modus operandi for writing _3:16 Bible Texts Illuminated_ , it was a much more thought provoking complement to _3:16_ than I had expected. For example, his discussion on framing the free-will/omnipotence debate from the perspective of Complexity Theory shed fresh light on this age old topic for me. Knuth has the gift of being a serious scientist without taking himself too seriously and in the end, scientists may discover that Douglas Adams is right and that the Answer to the Ultimate Question really is 42. Yet, with this book, Knuth beckons us to enjoy the ride. And to keep asking our own questions.
Rating:
Summary: Great for Christian Computer Scientists
Review: This is (arguably) great for Christian computer scientists, but most others will not be interested. In college, I became familiar with Knuth's works and they deserve the respect they have achieved. Being a Christian myself and finding that Knuth had given these seminars, I was happy to read the book. Unfortunately, it merely skims the surface of his beliefs. However, there are many items just beneath the surface that more experienced Christians may see. Still, there was not enough insight to garner a five-star rating. Yes, it is a polished transcription of the six seminars, but it is very easy to read. At the end of each, there was a question-and-answer period, which probably help shed as much light as the lecture itself. Yes, it is mostly about his work in "3:16", but that really gets into his religious journey. That is where part of the problem is -- it is more about the work and less about thoughts or convictions. There is a round-table discussion at the end, which was separate from Knuth's seminars. Knuth says little in it and I would not miss it if it were not there. However, it is good from a historical perspective. For most, especially non-Christians or religion or philosophy majors, this may be of little interest. Recommended, for the right audience.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing else quite like it
Review: This is not a book that will revolutionize your spiritual life, but if you'd like to spend some time in the company of a very intelligent Christian, you'll enjoy this book.
I think it fair to say that Knuth is the greatest living computer scientist. He is also one of a number of prominent scientists (including Owen Gingerich and John Polkinghorne) who are willing to make their Christianity known. This tends to refute the popular perception that all scientists, or all intellectuals, are atheists. In my experience (and Knuth's experience, as evident from the audience questions in the book), a lot of atheists get their atheism blindly on authority, and whether or not you agree with him, contact with an intelligent Christian such as Knuth can be a very refreshing change!
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