ChapterZero

I’m working on my summer reading list, which I will be posting here as I work through it. It will most likely change over time, as my free time waxes and wanes. Here is the first incarnation of immortality (couldn’t resist it :))

• Abstract Algebra with Applications (vols 1 and 2). Karlheinz Spindler. I’m reading this both because I’m interested in the math for its own sake, and also because I need to know abstract algebra in order to build a CAS.
• Extraction of Signals from Noise. L. A. Wainstein, V.D. Zubakov. I’m reading this because I’m disappointed in the two signal processing courses I took at UH: they were interesting, but simplistic, and showed no applications. This book is really quite nice: it seems like I can understand it from my current level of knowledge, and it deals with probabilistic signal processing. Plus, just from the title, you can tell it has many practical applications.
• Advanced Modern Algebra. Joseph J. Rotman. This is an excellent algebra book that I had started to read, but had to eventually put down due to time constraints. I’ll be reading it for the same reasons I’m reading the other two.
• ANSI Common Lisp. Paul Graham. For now anyhow, I’ve decided to continue my sabbatical from Scheme, and learn CL. Probably, I will end up reversing that decision at some point.
• Numerical Methods for Engineers. Steven Chapra, Raymond Canale. I desperately need to review the material for the class I proctor– no one this semester has asked me any significant questions, so I haven’t had much call to review– consequently, I’ve forgotten all but the most inane details.
• Advanced Calculus. Wilfred Kaplan. I also need to review my calculus. This is a nice book for that purpose– and will hopefully provide me with all the background in ‘analysis’ I need for the purposes of my research this summer. I would like to add a true analysis book to this list, but it is already unrealistically long.

So that’s it; 7 books in all. Not bad, for me. If I can dedicate myself to this, and strictly control my trips to the library, I can do this.