Data Abstraction and Problem Solving with C++: Walls and Mirrors

This book is one of the best of its kind that I have read. It is very descriptive and contains a lot of good examples on the subjects. It describes the construction of a lot of the collection classes like lists, trees, queues etc. and how this is most efficiently sorted and structured. Other subjects are graphs, the Big "O" Notation for evaluation of algorithm performance and a very good description on how and when to use recursion (The mirrors). All subjects are described in detail with great examples. To further test if the subjects have been understood a self-test section is at the end of each chapter (and the answers are in the back of book). The reader of the book should have some knowledge of object-oriented design, but besides that the code is fairly easy to read. In short it's a buy.

If you want to learn data structures, this book has lots of good information. In fact, my university uses this book for its data structures class. This book also uses c++ but no STL. It would be nice to have STL since we want the code to be reusable for any objects.

I used this book for CPS 272 at Washtenaw Community College and found it very clear. The explanations are thorough and very understandable, and the example code is the clearest code I have ever seen (is this really C++?!). When I transfered to the University of Michigan, I used "Data Structures, Algorithms, and Applications in C++" by Sartjai Sahni for EECS 380, which I wouldn't recommend to anyone. I found myself constantly referring back to Carrano's text. The only thing I have against it is that it doesn't cover algorithm efficiency and big-O notation well enough, but I have no hesitation giving it 5 stars.

This book does an excellent job of intorducing the mechanics of Data structures. A very useful book to refresh one's knowledge about data structures and get a rigororus insight in the subject in preparation for advanced studies in the area of Data Structures.Good book for an introductory University course in Data Structures. This bok has been successfully used (and is still being used) as a standard textbook in an intro course in Data Structures at UT AustinPrerequisites: Atleast 1 introductory programming course in any high level language (preferrably C++). A decent knowledge of C++. (no need of OOP knowledge). Reader should be prepared to seriously study this book. This is a full blown ACADEMIC book, not a tutoorial

If you want to learn about data structures, then get this book; you won't find a better one. But you'll need a good grip on the C++ language to take full advantage of this book. Don't make the mistake of thinking that this book will also teach you C++. The book is written to teach you data structures; and hopefully you'll pickup some good design habits along the way.