Textbook Information

Introduction to Computer Science

The book that we'll be using for Introduction to Computer Science this winter term is:

Walter Savitch, Problem Solving with C++, 6th Edition. Addison Wesley. 2007. ISBN: 0-321-41269-9.

Sherman's will NOT be ordering any copies of this book. Thus, it is up to you to order one via the internet or buy one at a bookstore. On amazon.com it is selling for $102 dollars. However, they have used copies for $59. half.com has used copies starting at $60. This is a very commonly used text, so it shouldn't be too hard to find a good used copy. You might also be able to find it used at a university bookstore. Also, textbooks are often slightly cheaper in Europe than in the US. Those of you with European connections might wish to investigate this. It is important that you get the 6th edition. The best way to make certain that you're getting the correct version is to go by the ISBN. This number is different for every edition of a book. So if the ISBN matches you can be certain that you have the right version. If at all possible, please get a copy of the book over break so that you have it to begin the term.

You will definitely need your own copy of the book. You'll want to have this by your side frequently as you write programs and figure stuff out. Also, this book will serve as a useful reference for many years; it's a good investment. And if you decide you hate C++ you can probably sell it to some used bookstore. There is a pretty high demand for this book as it's one of the most commonly used C++ texts.

Finally, you may also want to get an additional book to use as a back- up. It can be nice sometimes to have a second book to consult if you need to see an additional example or if our main text is confusing. Those of you that aren't native English speakers might want to look for a book in your native language. I am certain that there are good C++ books in German and Japanese. (I would guess there are good books in Finnish, too, but as the market of Finnish-speaking C++ programmers might be kinda small, it's possible that there isn't a big selection.)

In any event, there are many different C++ books out there, in many different languages. If you find one that looks good and is inexpensive, you might want to grab a copy. The book doesn't need to be brand new -- you might be able to get a great deal on a book that isn't the newest edition. However, I'd avoid any books that are older than 3-4 years. Also, I have a bunch of C++ books that I can put on reserve.