Algorithms and Data Structures

Rating:
Summary: A must read book in programming
Review: The book goes over practically important algorithms and data structures. It may not include the latest and greatest advances, but it is still very relevant in today's practical applications.

To me, the highest value of the book is not the particular methods explained, but the good style and the way of thinking about programs that the book teaches. There are very few books that can actually teach good style, and this is probably one of the best.

This book is a must read for anyone wishing to become a great programmer, not merely an average one. Another good book is "Design Patterns" by the gang of four, it is the next level.

Rating:
Summary: Very good for my studying
Review: This is a good book. I use it everyday in my computer programming subject and this is so cool!!! My teacher takes examples and solve them from the book.

Rating:
Summary: Underaverage book in this field
Review: This is an old book. I have it for 15 years.

This book is second edition of the book Algorithms + Data Structures = Programming, without Compiler construction, so the formula for it can be

(Algorithm + Data Structures = Programming) - Compiler Construction = Algorithms & Data Structures.

I bought it because of its famous author, N. Wirth, the creator of Pascal, Modula and Oberon progarmming languages.

But the book was a dissapointment for me. The matter in the book is presented in very strange order. There are no field in the book that is explained complete. For example, there are many sorting algorithms in the book, internal as well as external, but some basic sorting algorithms and techniques are not explained. Quicksort algorithm is explained without explaining underlying devide-and-conquer method, etc.

If you considering to by some book from the field of compute algorithms and data structures, there are many better books to buy than this one.

Rating:
Summary: Short and sweet
Review: This isn't a voluminous compilation of algorithms or data structures, but for me it's the first place to look. If I can't find what I need here, I'll check more complete sources, typically either Introduction to Algorithms or Knuth. But if what I need is here, it's typically covered more succinctly and accessibly. It's been on my bookshelf for almost fifteen years, and I haven't seen a worthy, or necessary, replacement.