John MacCormick's Nine Algorithms That Changed the Future offers a great way to find out what computer science is really about. In this very readable book, MacCormick (a computer scientist at Dickinson College) shows how a collection of sets of intangible instructions invented since the 1940s has led to monumental changes in all our lives...
These stunningly effective algorithms allow computers to achieve their seeming miracles: results that extend far beyond the abilities of any human even though the instructions themselves are the work of humans. MacCormick provides a taste of why we computer scientists get so excited about algorithms—for their utility, of course, but also for their beauty and elegance. On reading Nine Algorithms That Changed the Future, you too may become infected with the computer science bug.
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