algorithms and data structures: book recommendations?

o'o'a'a

Hey all you programmers!



Any suggestions for good (preferably inexpensive) books on algorithms and data structures? I just finished an intro course last semester, and the text used was pretty much worthless, so I'd like to have decent reference handy.



I also want to get started working through some material before a more advanced class this fall.



I'm getting a head start in fretting about it -- while the instructor is a nice guy and plenty smart, his lecture style leaves something to be desired: thick Chinese accent, impossibly elliptical trains of thought, gawd awful handwriting (sometimes with Chinese characters thrown in), refusal to use new whiteboard markers when they run out of ink, etc. etc. whine whine whine...



Anyway, what do y'all refer to? What was a help when you were starting out? What are some of the accepted standard texts? A focus on Java would be nice, but I'm really as much interested in building up a decent set of general references as I am in learning Java.



Cheers,



o'o'a'a



[edit: lame grammer]



[ 06-10-2002: Message edited by: o'o'a'a ]</p>

rick1138

Cormen et al's Introduction to Algorithms-not cheap-it costs about $90,but it's worth the money.It is one of the best books on any technical subject,period.

amorph

The ultimate reference is Knuth's three volume set, but you might want to look at other options to start with.

o'o'a'a

[quote]Originally posted by Amorph:

<strong>The ultimate reference is Knuth's three volume set, but you might want to look at other options to start with. </strong><hr></blockquote>



Whoops...meant to put in my original post "Don't be a smart alec and suggest Knuth."



Actually, I tried to battle through some of it last semester...gave up pretty quick, but maybe next summer

mcq

Another vote for Cormen's Introduction to Algorithms (it's really 3 authors, but I forget the names of the other two). It covers a wide range of topics, and fairly clearly. My understanding is that several colleges use this text for their intro algorithms classses, and many have rated it highly. I've started to read some of it and am pleased with the explanations and diagrams. All samples are done in general pseudocode, so you shouldn't have too much trouble understanding it. I picked it up from Walmart online for $50 (Link: <a href="http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?cat=28377&dept=3920&product_id=1267400 &path=0%3A3920%3A28377" target="_blank">Walmart - Introduction to Algorithms</a> ... yeah I have no clue why they sell it, but it was the cheapest I found it for.

neutrino23

[quote]Originally posted by o'o'a'a:

<strong>



Whoops...meant to put in my original post "Don't be a smart alec and suggest Knuth."



Actually, I tried to battle through some of it last semester...gave up pretty quick, but maybe next summer</strong><hr></blockquote>



What's wrong with Knuth? That was one of my favorites.

o'o'a'a

[quote]Originally posted by neutrino23:

<strong>



What's wrong with Knuth? That was one of my favorites.</strong><hr></blockquote>



I like the way one Amazon review put it:

"Like the Bible, the TAOCP books are good to have around even if you don't plan to read them." <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />



Prior to last August, the last time I did any programming was ca. 1980, doing things like writing BASIC programs to make a TRS-80 go 'beep'.



I've officially reached geezerhood, and my poor brain just had a hard time wrapping itself around the machine language. But the more purely mathematical stuff was certainly interesting and illuminating, and I'm looking foward to picking it back up after an assembly class.