BKNTUROM.RVW  940525

Computer Science Press
W.H. Freeman and Company
41 Madison Avenue
New York, NY  10010
"The (New) Turing Omnibus", Dewdney, 1993, 0-7167-8271-5, U$24.95

Dewdney is familiar from his "Computer Recreations" (and earlier, "Mathemagical
Themas") column in the Scientific American.  For those familiar with the column
and the advertisements for this book, it is something of a surprise to note
that Dewdney considers this to be a textbook for an introductory computer
science course, albeit concentrating on the "good bits".

If text it is, the course is a thoroughly theoretical one.  The sixty-six
chapters give short introductions to a variety of topics which Dewdney
identifies as relating to the areas of algorithms, applications (specific uses
of algorithms), artificial intelligence, cryptology, complexity theory,
graphics, data structures, automata and languages, logic and design, and theory
of computation.  By theoretical, I mean only to emphasize that these articles
relate to computer science, as opposed to the more practical aspects of
computing or computers.

It is, of course, difficult to decide on a curriculum for an introduction to
computer science, so it would be unfair to try and second-guess the choice of
topics.  Certainly, one could do far worse than the selections included here. 
Dewdney's writing is clear and far more interesting than many similar texts, as
well as being more classic.  The explanations are, however, somewhat demanding: 
not all of these pieces would be "recreational" reading, even for the
intelligent layman.

Each chapter ends with exercises which are thoughtful and well chosen. 
(Sometimes humorous, too:  the first problem in the virus chapter states, "DO
NOT write a virus or a worm program.")  There are two references at the end of
each chapter; only two, but well chosen.  The total result is significant
coverage of the classics of computer science, without being overwhelming.

A suitable text, and interesting and worthwhile diversions for those who have
become too focussed in their fields.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994   BKNTUROM.RVW  940525
 
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Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca, RSlade@sfu.ca, Rob Slade at 1:153/733
Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" (Oct. '94) Springer-Verlag