Rating: 
Summary: Decent Reference, Poor Tutorial
Review: As other reviewers have mentioned, the most important thing to know about this book is that it is included in electronic form with Mathematica. Some people think that's a bad thing, and if you do, too, then this book certianly isn't for you.
If you're like me, you sometimes prefer to have a printed copy of documentation at your disposal. The index is useful, and the book is beautifully bound and typeset. If you like hardcopy references, you won't be disappointed in this title.
The book starts out as a tutorial; it's possible to use the first 100 or so pages as an end-to-end introduction to most of Mathematica's features. The tutorial is easy to follow, though some of the steps might not be completely clear or as detailed as they should be. For example, some formula entry features aren't described until after they're used for the first time. Some functions are invoked before their description is shown, too.
Perhaps worst of all, some features of the product are left unexplored while other features (which seem quite orthogonal to the discussion at hand) are mentioned more than in passing.
A great example of the scope and flow problems is at the start of the chapter about Mathematica on different computers. I'd expect this section t odiscuss the difference beteen the Kernel text interface and the noteboook interface, but it doesn't; it sticks to the notebook interface, and doesn't explain how I might use the kernel interface directly. It mentions the Mathematica programming API, and even includes a code fragment demonstrating it -- but then offers no other description of the API. The text doesn't even mention where I can go to read more details, if I'm interested, later on!
As a reference, the book is very useful. For a given function or comand, the available options and features are described, though they're not demonstrated. Because of the great index and logical layout, it's not hard to find related features or similar functions.
However, the book disappoints me by failing to spend much time describing how features can best be used together. For example, I can use Plot[] against a certain expression and range to draw a graph. I've found I can use Table[] with the same expression and range to produce a table of values and store it in a variable. Why can't I, then, use Plot[] against the variable (with the values I produced) and the range in order to plot the same series?
Because the book doesn't do much to help the reader combine the different features and comamnds into something useful, it falls short as a tutorial and could be better as a reference. This is disappointing enough that I'm on the verge of scoring it at three stars.
Rating:
Summary: I'll tell you why you should buy this book
Review: Can't take a computer to bed and read? Have a long commute on a train, going for a ride? Any number of reasons can be thought of to buy this book. It's an app book. Great resource when something is tapping on the inside of your head. Recommended. Go used, and save a few bucks.
Rating:
Summary: I'll tell you why you should buy this book
Review: Can't take a computer to bed and read? Have a long commute on a train, going for a ride? Any number of reasons can be thought of to buy this book. It's an app book. Great resource when something is tapping on the inside of your head. Recommended. Go used, and save a few bucks.
Rating: 
Summary: the definitive guide to the Mathematica software
Review: I bought the 2nd edition of this book back in the early 90s when a student edition of the software was available to me inexpensively for the Mac. The book was very helpful in learning how to use the Mathematica program. There are examples galore and many graphical illustrations. As other reviewers have said, the whole book comes online with the software and you can easily search it, but I liked having an offline copy too. The later versions are just extensions of earlier ones. It is easy to learn how to do simple examples from the book. Suppose you want to plot the expression |x-y| + |x| + |y|. On page ix, before the book really begins, there is an example of the syntax to make a plot: Plot3D[ Sin[x y], {x,0,Pi}, {y,0,Pi} ]. In chapter 1 (p. 49) you learn that the absolute value is given by the Abs[x] function. So, you can type Plot3D[ Abs[x-y] + Abs[x] + Abs[y], {x,-2,2}, {y,-2,2}] to get a nice 3D plot of this expression, with x and y in the range -2 to 2. If you want to see a plot where the value of the expression is <= 2, you can restrict the Z range of the plot, as illustrated in chapter 1 (p. 157), like this:
Plot3D[ Abs[x-y] + Abs[x] + Abs[y], {x,-2,2}, {y,-2,2}, PlotRange->{0,2} ].
Rating:
Summary: For the generally curious - Mathematica!
Review: I have been a Mathematica user for many years, back when you could get it for just the MAC, and a big fan of Steven Wolfram.
If you are like me, you're just a bit curious to see what the 4,832th digit for Pi is, using N[Pi,4832]. Or what a Contour graph looks like, right! Well, this book will definately show you how to do it! This latest hardcover book, which includes reference for version 4.1 of Mathematica, is a add-on of the same(only smaller) book on version 3.0 of Mathematica. There are much more examples specific to version 4.x and also the book is a few hundred pages more than the v3 book. If you have the v3.0 book and dont use the v4.x software, there really is no need to get this book, unless you're really curious about what v4.x offers and like to lug around a 6 pound book! The graphics are very vivid, sharp and basically the same ones in v3.0. Due to some of the new graphing features in v4.x, there are samples of these as well. Overall, a great software reference to one of the best software packages ever made!
Rating:
Summary: Great reference book
Review: If you need to use Mathematica for anything get this book for sure. It is simply excellent. It has everything that you would possibly need in order to operate in Mathematica. However, if you have an original version of Mathematica you would have this book with it, but regardless it is perfect and it is a must for everyone dealing with Mathematica. The best thing about the book is that not just that it has all the functions that Mathematica can operate, but also it has examples for every function, which makes is just perfect. In the middle of the book that are some graphical representations that you can do in Mathematica. Certainly buy it if you wish to be succesful in Mathematica.
Rating:
Summary: An essential reference for Mathematica users
Review: It's a shame that the spotlight review for this book is a tirade by a frustrated student who envies Stephen Wolfram's ability to make money. So much for Amazon's ability to separate the wheat from the chaff! Here's my opinion: I've been a Mathematica user since 1989 and have found the various versions of the book to be essential references. Mathematica has become an indispensable tool in my work as a teacher, researcher, and consultant, and I've even written a book about Mathematica applications in my field. If I were limited to only one piece of software, this would be it (ok, an operating system would be good, too). Maybe it's because I learned to progam by writing mainframe FORTRAN programs on keypunch cards but, whatever the reason, I disagree with just about all of the comments in the negative review. I am continually amazed at the things I can do using Mathematica and, in general, how quickly and easily I can do them. Sure, a person needs some mathematical saavy to get the most out of Mathematica. Maybe that was the negative reviewer's problem. The reason that the particular inequality of interest to him or her isn't specifically addressed may be that almost anyone with rudimentary knowledge of Mathematica, some insight into problem solving, and a curious spirit can easily think of at least three or four ways to accomplish the task at hand. I looked at his or her inequality, thought about it for a minute or two while I had a sip of coffee, and then made a contour plot in a few seconds. No need at all for Calculus Whiz, although people just learning calculus may indeed find it helpful. It is, though, important to distinguish between the quality of the book and the need to buy a copy. Mathematica does come with both digital and paper copies of the book, so many people may not need to buy an extra copy. If you don't need one, don't buy one. It might be nice to have one, though, if your old copy has worn out from heavy use or if your only access to Mathematica is via a network and site license. People enrolled in the Premier subscription plan received an upgrade to version 5 but no paper copy of the book, so they might want one as well. The bottom line is this: The book is outstanding and an essential reference for anyone using Mathematica. That's why I give it 5 stars. If you need or want a paper copy, then buy one. If not, don't.
Rating:
Summary: amazing
Review: Mathematica is a fairly specialized software for working with a broad
range of mathematical equations and graphs. The book is a description
of how to use the software. Stephen Wolfram wrote the software, so the
book is pretty authoritative. I find the book and the software to be
amazing, fantastic, phenomenal, ground-breaking, and all the other
adjectives like those. I'd also throw in artistic, poetic, and
stunningly beautiful. The software does not come with the book - it's
sold separately.... There is a student version available
for significantly less.... The student version is the same
as the professional version, but you have to upgrade to the
professional version after you graduate (but you get a discount on the
upgrade also). There is an electronic copy of the book that is
included with the software, but I find it handy to also have the hard
copy book. I also found the software support people to be outstanding
- helpful, friendly, and supportive.
Rating:
Summary: amazing
Review: Mathematica is a fairly specialized software for working with a broad
range of mathematical equations and graphs. The book is a description
of how to use the software. Stephen Wolfram wrote the software, so the
book is pretty authoritative. I find the book and the software to be
amazing, fantastic, phenomenal, ground-breaking, and all the other
adjectives like those. I'd also throw in artistic, poetic, and
stunningly beautiful. The software does not come with the book - it's
sold separately.... There is a student version available
for significantly less.... The student version is the same
as the professional version, but you have to upgrade to the
professional version after you graduate (but you get a discount on the
upgrade also). There is an electronic copy of the book that is
included with the software, but I find it handy to also have the hard
copy book. I also found the software support people to be outstanding
- helpful, friendly, and supportive.
Rating:
Summary: amazing
Review: Mathematica is a fairly specialized software for working with a broadrange of mathematical equations and graphs. The book is a descriptionof how to use the software. Stephen Wolfram wrote the software, so thebook is pretty authoritative. I find the book and the software to beamazing, fantastic, phenomenal, ground-breaking, and all the otheradjectives like those. I'd also throw in artistic, poetic, andstunningly beautiful. The software does not come with the book - it'ssold separately.... There is a student version availablefor significantly less.... The student version is the sameas the professional version, but you have to upgrade to theprofessional version after you graduate (but you get a discount on theupgrade also). There is an electronic copy of the book that isincluded with the software, but I find it handy to also have the hardcopy book. I also found the software support people to be outstanding- helpful, friendly, and supportive.
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