Reader reviews

Very good, with a few caveats. The core material is strong.

I have been working with javascript for a few years now and I still found plenty here that was new to me. It is denser than the page count suggests, and I found myself slowing down around the middle. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. Solid, and I would buy another book from this author without hesitation.

A useful guide. The examples assume a particular environment, but that is fixable.

I picked this up after getting stuck on a project and it turned out to be exactly the right book at the right time. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. The chapters on computational biology are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. Good value for the price and worth the time it takes to work through properly.

A superb guide. The examples are small but complete.

This is the third book I have read on mathematics this year, and it is comfortably the best of them. I particularly liked the way the author builds up from simple cases before introducing the harder material. The chapters on mathematics are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. This is the book I wish had existed when I started working with mathematics.

The clearest explanation of science fiction & fantasy I have come across.

There is a particular kind of technical book that is dense without being difficult, and this is one of them. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.

Disappointing. The description oversold what is actually inside.

This is the third book I have read on graphics this year, and it is comfortably the best of them. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. Two stars. The subject deserves a better treatment than this.

Finally, a book that treats graphics & design with the care it deserves.

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. Worth the money and the reading time, without hesitation.