Programming Pearls (ACM Press) [Paperback]

Jon Louis Bentley (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201103311 | ISBN-13: 978-0201103311 | Publication Date: January 1, 1986 | Edition: 1st

This book is a collection and expansion of the column, "Programming Pearls," published in Communication of the Association for Computing Machinery. The essays present programs that go beyond solid engineering techniques to be creative and clever solutions to computer problems. The programs are fun and they teach important programming techniques and fundamental design principles. Written in a engaging style, this book will appeal to people with some programming experience who want to learn more about refining their techniques. ACM Press. 0201103311B04062001

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Programming Pearls," published in Communication of the Association for Computing Machinery. The essays present programs that go beyond solid engineering techniques to be creative and clever solutions to computer problems. The programs are fun and they teach important programming techniques and fundamental design principles. Written in a engaging style, this book will appeal to people with some programming experience who want to learn more about refining their techniques. ACM Press. 0201103311B04062001

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Assn for Computing Machinery; 1st edition (January 1, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201103311
• ISBN-13: 978-0201103311
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #214,959 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Packed with programming wisdom, December 18, 1999

By 

Russell Belfer (San Mateo, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Programming Pearls (ACM Press) (Paperback)

It's great to see they've come out with an update to this book. The essays in this book are easy to read and touch on many valuable things, such as tuning and optimization of algorithms, using mini languages to provide robust tools, doing back-of-the-envelope calculations, and much more. I have recommended this book to several beginning programmers that I know as an excellent introduction to thinking effectively about the challenges of software engineering.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jon Bentley's small book is itself a pearl..., June 18, 1998

By 

Peter Coates ([e-mail] ) (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Programming Pearls (ACM Press) (Paperback)

This slender volume is one of the all-time classics for programmers. Each chapter is an essay from Bentley's wide-ranging programming column dealing with an algorithm, an engineering principle or some more general technique of reasoning. Beginners and experienced professionals alike will be delighted. This is one of the few books for serious programmers which can also be read with pleasure by the non-expert, even by the non-programmer. You'll find the techniques of thinking explained in this book popping up again and again whether you are coding or reading the newspaper. I have owned and loaned I don't know how many copies; nobody ever returns it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gem!, April 18, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Programming Pearls (ACM Press) (Paperback)

There are not many books on advanced computer programming that you actually want to read. Usually, the subject is so dry and full of theory that you have to force yourself. This book is the exception. Bentley's easy-to-read style makes this book a pleasure to read. His theoretical analysis is impeccable, but he presents complex topics in a chatty format that makes you remember the joy you felt the first time you wrote a program, and lets you know he still feels that way