Spoken Language Processing: A Guide to Theory, Algorithm and System Development

Rating:
Summary: Useful and interesting
Review: A thourough and complete review about the subject, in which many disciplines (language, computer, probability, statistics, numerical analysis) converge. As a non-practitioner I have found it an enjoyable opportunity to refresh my knowledges in the field of signal processing, and a source of many hints I have been able to develop in other branches. In spite of notations and methodologies (e.g. bayesian) a bit far from I am used to, the near one thousand pages never seemed extreme related to the meaning compressed into them, spreading from base theory to advanced applications.

Rating:
Summary: Complete and Practical
Review: I love this complete and practical book on speech technologies and application. It always ties in the real-world practice. While also covering most theoretic/academic results, it always points out what's used in daily practice. This feature can help new comers identify promising directions to solve real problems. The only thing I don't like is that it emphasizes too much work done in Microsoft Research, although this is understandable and MS is becoming power player in this arena.

Rating:
Summary: Microsoft's future cook book
Review: This is a great book if you want to know the future of what Microsoft's top researchers like XD Huang etc are thinking and working. Dr Huang is a super star of the field and it is equally worthwhile to read his excellent book.