Fractals The Definitive Guide

Useful in parts. Fine as a reference, less so as a cover-to-cover read.

There is a particular kind of technical book that is dense without being difficult, and this is one of them. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. I particularly liked the way the author builds up from simple cases before introducing the harder material. Some of the diagrams are dense and I had to reread a few sections, though that may just be me. Fine, but there are stronger books on the same subject if you look around.

Genuinely excellent — I finished it in a week and immediately started again.

I bought this on a whim after seeing it mentioned in a forum thread, and I am glad I did. The explanations are careful without being condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. There is a section near the end that ties several earlier ideas together in a way I had not seen before. This is the book I wish had existed when I started working with mathematics.

Strong content, uneven pacing. I would still recommend it.

I have been working with mathematics for a few years now and I still found plenty here that was new to me. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. The chapters on mathematics are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. Solid, and I would buy another book from this author without hesitation.