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The Art of Computer Programming, Volume 2: Seminumerical Algorithms (2nd Edition) Review by Eric Pi
Really wanted to enjoy this, but couldn't
I love reading technical books, in a wide variety of fields. I typically read technical books cover to cover, as if they were novels. I always enjoy learning a new algorithm or technique.
When I first saw this set in a bookstore (years ago), I thought it would be a great addition to my library. However, when I thumbed through it, I didn't seem to enjoy it as much as I'd hoped. It seemed to be a bit too theoretical, and not enough practical examples for my taste.
Recently, I decided to give it another chance on Amazon, thinking that I would better understand the theory after having more experience. Unfortunately, my first reaction stood-- as much as I tried to read it, I just couldn't find a section that I could enjoy or relate to.
In particular, the MIX code is a bit hard to read / follow. Personally, I would prefer a less precise but higher level pseudo-code. (Having to mentally translate the assembly code detracts from the examples.) In addition, I have a harder time relating to some of the examples, such as optimizing the merging of data from multiple tape drives.
There is no question that Knuth is a legend in Computer Science, and this is a very well written, highly regarded work in that field. I'm sure many people enjoy these books. However, this set just isn't something I personally was able to enjoy as much as I'd hoped to.