Looking for a good book for programming logic and design

N2IT

Something intro level to get me all learned up. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated, there are a million books out there on the subject. I'm sure not all are equal.

Thanks in advance

paul78

Whenever I discuss learning to program, I generally describe it in terms of 2 broad categories. (a) Data structures and (b) algorithms. Then the other 2 more focused categories that I describe are (a) system design and architecture, and (b) design patterns.

So for these broad topics, these are the books that I grew up with 2 decades ago; some which are still in print and still used in college computer science classes (I hope).

Data Structures and Program Design - Kruse - Amazon.com: Data Structures Program Design (Prentice-Hall software series) (9780131958845): Robert Leroy Kruse: Books
This one is out of print but it's the type of book that you may want to pick up.

Introduction to Algorithms - Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest - Introduction to Algorithms: Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest, Clifford Stein: 9780262033848: Amazon.com: Books
I have the first edition but this appears to be the current edition. I still refer to this book occasionally.

Computer System Architecture - Mano - I have a second edition and this one appears to be relatively current - Logic and Computer Design Fundamentals (4th Edition): M. Morris Mano, Charles Kime: 9780131989269: Amazon.com: Books - this book isn't about programming per se but gives some insight into computer design for the aspiring systems programmer. This doesn't isn't highly rated on Amazon but when I used it, I did like it.

Design Patterns - Gamma, Helm, Johnson, Vlissides - (sometimes know as the GoF or gang of four) is a classic book about software design patterns. I don't know if there is a new edition but the one that I have is here - Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software: Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, John Vlissides: 0785342633610: Amazon.com: Books

A lot of people also learned to program using this classic by Donald Knuth - The Art of Computer Programming - The Art of Computer Programming, Volumes 1-4A Boxed Set (Box Set): Donald E. Knuth: 9780321751041: Amazon.com: Books - it's one of those books that a lot of people probably have but few have actually read the whole thing

Novalith478

That second one with introduction to algorithms looks really good. I was looking for a book to help me self teach through my computer science courses (I am struggling with some concepts like recursion), and that book looks really good.

N2IT

They look great thanks Paul

paul78

Novalith478 wrote: »

(I am struggling with some concepts like recursion), and that book looks really good.

It is a good book but if you are having trouble with concepts like recursion that may not be the best book. You may benefit better from a book that has examples that you can code up and step through a debugger. I personally belief that to grasp an algorithm, using a non-object oriented approach works better. Try looking at this book - Algorithms in C - Robert Sedgewick - I think it's still in print - Algorithms in C, Part 5: Graph Algorithms (3rd Edition) (Pt.5): Robert Sedgewick: 9780201316636: Amazon.com: Books - the newer editions appear to be in C++ but I prefer C.

Just my caveat - as with the other books that I'm recommending, I really can't vouch for the newer editions since most of my copies are early editions from over 20 years ago.

As an aside - I have owned the Cormen, Leiserson, Rivest Algorithm book for over 20 years and it was only after I read your response that I just connected together from reading my own post that one of the authors is Ron Rivest (the cryptographer of RSA and RC cipher fame) How funny...

N2IT

I am going with the intro to algortithms book. (second on your list)

Ivanjam

I first learned to program in FORTRAN 77 and Pascal but then I transitioned to C, and K&R has been the best and most concise programming textbook I have seen to date (with due respect to a compendium like Knuth): C Programming Language (2nd Edition): Brian W. Kernighan, Dennis M. Ritchie: 0076092003106: Amazon.com: Books . Not sure what value in today's world learning ANSI C will be though.

paul78

Cool - hope you enjoy it.

BTW - I don't own TAOCP (The Art of Computer Programming) but it is considered one of the most influential books in computer science. I think Bill Gates even famously once said that he would accept a resumes from anyone that could read the whole thing (something like that).

N2IT

Paul that book is a beast.