Foundations of Graphics & Compute - Volume 3: Computing (Hardback)

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

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. Four stars, and I suspect a second edition could easily push it to five.

Outstanding. I kept finding reasons to come back to it.

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. A couple of chapters felt like they could have been merged, but that is a minor complaint. The explanations are careful without being condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. I have already recommended it to two colleagues and will recommend it to more.

Three stars feels about right. Useful, but not essential.

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. The author avoids over-explaining, which keeps the pace up but means you need to pay attention. A couple of chapters felt like they could have been merged, but that is a minor complaint. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. Three stars feels about right. It will stay on my shelf, but it will not be the first one I reach for.