5 ms·

Has anyone read this and also, Algorithm Design Manual by Skiena, I am wondering how do they compare.

emmanueloga_ 3y ago
I wrote a short rant about it a while ago [1]. -- 1: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38855014 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38855014
spit2wind 3y ago
I have read Skienas book, both the second and third edition. Love the idea. There is an errata nearly every other page for the second edition. Third edition appears better...for now. Someone needs to get this man a proper editor! - https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~skiena/algorist/book/errata https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~skiena/algorist/book/errata - https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~skiena/algorist/book/errata-adm3 https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~skiena/algorist/book/errata-...
richrichie 3y ago
Get both and read both. Algorithmic thinking is a fun read. I will recommend it. Skiena is also a fun read. I quite enjoyed the anecdotes (real life case studies) in Skiena’s book.
- rnewme 3y ago
  Sadly a lot of us don't have time to read multiple books at the same time to get the knowledge we don't gravely need in the first place.
  - tptacek 3y ago
    That's true of literally every book.
    - rnewme 3y ago
      Of course! My comment was more of reminiscing for the time I was able to read multiple books on same subject before having a kid rather than just a lazy sob. Now I appreciate when someone compares the books so I can pick one, ie. GP mentioned anecdotes, I like them so I would start with that book, it would motivate me to start as well.
  - richrichie 3y ago
    Books aren’t about getting knowledge.They are about fun journeys, which means that you stop reading a book, if you aren’t having fun.
    - rnewme 3y ago
      But books absolutely are about getting knowledge through. I can guarantee you that you won't have fun with a lot of hard books a lot of times but you will still do it for what you get out of it if you understand the benefits for life or career or something else. I never thought I would read dozens of tomes on health, family and children topics, or pmbok for PMP etc. But I still did because it mattered. Same with GEB, it got tiring and hard after a while but I knew finishing it would be worth it so I did it even though I wasn't having fun at one point!
  - toomanyrichies 3y ago
    > multiple books at the same time to get the knowledge we don't gravely need in the first place Then don't read either one. I just saved you a ton of time, you're welcome.
    - rnewme 3y ago
      Yes, of course, but that's a silly attitude. Isn't anything better than nothing? Therefore isn't it better to skim one good book then to read nothing? I see why someone would ask for recommendation for a single book.
      - toomanyrichies 3y ago
        > but that's a silly attitude You described the books as containing “knowledge we don't gravely need in the first place”. If that’s the case, and if you’re reading for knowledge, why bother reading either one? If you already know you don’t need the knowledge those books contain, move on to other books. And if you’re just reading for fun, that’s fine, but then why does the amount of knowledge the book contains even enter into it? Why even bring it up in your comment, especially in a way which comes across as snarky? And fwiw, if I’m reading snark into your comment where no snark was intended, my apologies.
        rnewme 3y ago
        No snark intended. If you're software engineer with tight schedule due to young kids or ill family member or whatever, but you still want to slowly move the needle when it comes to career and your own knowledge then you don't "gravely" need the algo book, but you would benefit from reading one, it's just a question of what will give you the best ROI (ROI here being both financial but also personal satisfaction etc). English is my second language so my thoughts often come across differently than intended - thank you for replying instead of just down voting

I wrote a short rant about it a while ago [1]. -- 1: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38855014 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38855014

spit2wind 3y ago

I have read Skienas book, both the second and third edition. Love the idea. There is an errata nearly every other page for the second edition. Third edition appears better...for now. Someone needs to get this man a proper editor! - https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~skiena/algorist/book/errata https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~skiena/algorist/book/errata - https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~skiena/algorist/book/errata-adm3 https://www3.cs.stonybrook.edu/~skiena/algorist/book/errata-...

richrichie 3y ago

Get both and read both. Algorithmic thinking is a fun read. I will recommend it. Skiena is also a fun read. I quite enjoyed the anecdotes (real life case studies) in Skiena’s book.

rnewme 3y ago
Sadly a lot of us don't have time to read multiple books at the same time to get the knowledge we don't gravely need in the first place.
- tptacek 3y ago
  That's true of literally every book.
  - rnewme 3y ago
    Of course! My comment was more of reminiscing for the time I was able to read multiple books on same subject before having a kid rather than just a lazy sob. Now I appreciate when someone compares the books so I can pick one, ie. GP mentioned anecdotes, I like them so I would start with that book, it would motivate me to start as well.
- richrichie 3y ago
  Books aren’t about getting knowledge.They are about fun journeys, which means that you stop reading a book, if you aren’t having fun.
  - rnewme 3y ago
    But books absolutely are about getting knowledge through. I can guarantee you that you won't have fun with a lot of hard books a lot of times but you will still do it for what you get out of it if you understand the benefits for life or career or something else. I never thought I would read dozens of tomes on health, family and children topics, or pmbok for PMP etc. But I still did because it mattered. Same with GEB, it got tiring and hard after a while but I knew finishing it would be worth it so I did it even though I wasn't having fun at one point!
- toomanyrichies 3y ago
  > multiple books at the same time to get the knowledge we don't gravely need in the first place Then don't read either one. I just saved you a ton of time, you're welcome.
  - rnewme 3y ago
    Yes, of course, but that's a silly attitude. Isn't anything better than nothing? Therefore isn't it better to skim one good book then to read nothing? I see why someone would ask for recommendation for a single book.
    - toomanyrichies 3y ago
      > but that's a silly attitude You described the books as containing “knowledge we don't gravely need in the first place”. If that’s the case, and if you’re reading for knowledge, why bother reading either one? If you already know you don’t need the knowledge those books contain, move on to other books. And if you’re just reading for fun, that’s fine, but then why does the amount of knowledge the book contains even enter into it? Why even bring it up in your comment, especially in a way which comes across as snarky? And fwiw, if I’m reading snark into your comment where no snark was intended, my apologies.
      - rnewme 3y ago
        No snark intended. If you're software engineer with tight schedule due to young kids or ill family member or whatever, but you still want to slowly move the needle when it comes to career and your own knowledge then you don't "gravely" need the algo book, but you would benefit from reading one, it's just a question of what will give you the best ROI (ROI here being both financial but also personal satisfaction etc). English is my second language so my thoughts often come across differently than intended - thank you for replying instead of just down voting