Book Reviews

The INFORMS Journal on Computing Book Reviews section covers books on subjects at the interface between operations research and computer science. We welcome books on theory, applications, computer systems, and generally any subject covered by a JOC area, or any combination of these. This includes both printed and electronic books. In addition, we consider comparative reviews, i.e., several books on one relevant topic. Team reviews are also possible, particularly for a large, broad-scope book such as an encyclopedia. Please send your suggestions for books to be reviewed to the JOC Book Reviews Editor. This issue contains two reviews of books that approach the general topic of algorithms from different perspectives. David Bader, professor at Georgia Tech's College of Computing, reviews A Guide to Experimental Algorithmics, by Catherine McGeoch. This book, aimed at software developers, describes the practice of performance analysis and tuning of software. Topics include strategies for test-driven development, experimental designs, and statistical analysis techniques. Lance Fortnow's The Golden Ticket: P, NP, and the Search for the Impossible is a book for general readers about complexity theory. The reviewer is Mike Trick, senior associate dean of Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business, and a widely-read blogger about operations research. The book attempts to introduce the nonspecialist reader to the field of algorithmic complexity and the problem of whether P = NP. To the extent that it is successful, it should help improve the general public's understanding of the work that computational operations researchers do.