Customer Reviews

Chaos Theory Tamed

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the most comprehensive, clear-cut, to the point book on Chaos theory I have read. My only regret is that I did not read it earlier. I could have avoided a lot of confusion left from reading authors who do not clearly understand Chaos theory (I have read some books that have the right equations with the wrong answers), or understand the science but lack the ability to articulate the concepts clearly. Williams succeeds in both these areas.

Williams devotes a considerable number of pages to building a foundation of understanding before jumping into particular topics. For example, he selectively covers specific (relevant) areas of geometry, trigonometry, statistics, information theory, etc. before uncovering the mysteries and ideas of Chaos Theory that rest on that foundation of knowledge. It is almost as if he wrote the book as he learned about the topic. The reader can see the evolution of ideas and how they amalgamate into a collective understanding and perspective of Chaos. However, the easy navigation, superb writing style, and diverse references make this book also applicable for the experienced Chaos practitioner.

Before reading Chaos Theory Tamed I had read over 20 books on the subject and still lacked the conceptual framework and necessary tools to begin applying the theories. This book ties it all together and makes the theory useful and applicable. I intend on writing Williams personally and thank him for his valuable contribution to this field of study.

Very accessible introduction on chaos theory. Style is informal and nontechnical. You're not required to have a particular background in mathematics to understand the content. Reading it is particularly easy, and it provides excellent pointers to more advanced topics on chaos theory.

If you already have some background in dynamic systems and modeling, i would recommend Morrison's book : "The Art of Modeling Dynamic Systems : Forecasting for Chaos, Randomness, and Determinism" which is somewhat more technical but certainly more helpful for getting a good idea of what chaos theory is, at an engineering point of view.

In addition, for getting a very broad view of chaos in the real world, Schroeder's "Fractals, Chaos, Power laws: Minutes from an Infinite Paradise" is incomparable ! It overwhelms you with the footprints of chaos in every possible context. A must-read ! But very technical and requires some important knowledge in physics and science engineering...

However, as an easy nontechnical introduction on chaos theory, this book really deserves its 5 stars !

The best science book I have ever read.
The author's style is clear, concise and informative, and his treatment of complex mathematical concepts is the best I have ever seen.
This books fills the great void between specialist mathematical texts, and popular science novels.
If you want to understand chaos theory - buy this book. If you want to see a supurb example of science writing, do the same.

I hold a Masters in Mathematics with an application of Chaos. I will sum this up short and sweet:This has to be the best book on Chaos I have ever read. I use examples from it to teach my students, and it is very simple. Full of graphs and plain english, it is easy enough for a tenth grader to understand.

As an applied social scientist with an interest in dynamical systems theory, this book was a revelation to me--technically accurate without being overwhelmingly technical. One of the two best introductions to dynamical systems for those of us who are involved in this area of research but forgot to major in math as undergrads. (The other one that I recommed, by the way, is Kaplan and Glass's work Understanding Nonlinear Dynamics.)

Garnett Williams is my hero. He takes what seems like a complicated topic and makes it seem simple. Williams never assumes anything about the reader's prior understanding of any topic - he patiently and carefully explains what you need to know to understand his point. He reiterates, summarizes and gives examples so that even when you are occaisionally feeling like you might get lost, he reels you right back in.

He includes a glossary and chapter summaries which are very helpful. He also does a great job of refreshing important concepts from prior chapters as they again become relevant.

The layman's challenge in understanding scientific literature, even books written for lay audiences, often results from a minor oversight or assumption on the author's part. One little detail that, upon omission, makes the picture unclear. Williams covers every detail; he was thorough and consistent throughout.

I'd highly recommend this book for anyone trying to understand Chaos Theory or build a better foundation for the understanding of Complexity and other related sciences.

This is the most understandable book in chaos theory I have read. It clearly explains the theory and the tools to understand it. I have read several books and papers but this is the one I like the most. If you are interested in Chaos theory try this book first and then read other technical stuff.

The introductory toolkit was excellent. No punches are pulled, but I still read the chaos sections like a novel. Chaos Theory Tamed illuminated the dozen or so journal articles I have struggled over in my studies. Great stuff.

after reading other users reviews i was under the impression that this book would be a fairly easy read, explaining what chaos is in laymens terms. not so.
the first 9 chapters are devoted to giving you the mathematical tools you need to understand the later chapters. if you have ever tried to learn math out of a book by yourself and failed miserably, you know its no fun.
unfortunatly, if you dont understadn the math tools, you wont really understadn the rest of the book.
so if you are a layman like me, find something easier

This is an extremely well-written book. It is not a "popular science" book, but if you have a few semesters of undergraduate math, you'll be fine.

The author presents the material very clearly and cleanly, with easy examples and useful intuitive metaphors.

I wish all math and science texts were this well-written.