December 1997, Vol. 14, No. 12 Book Shelf Programming with Constraints: An Introduction, by Kim Marriott and Peter J. Stuckey, The MIT Press, 476 pages, $45, ISBN 0-262-13341-5 The job of the constraint programmer is to use mathematical constraints to model real-world constraints and objects. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the discipline of constraint programming and, in particular, constraint logic programming. The book covers the necessary background material from AI, logic programming, operations research, and mathematical programming. Topics discussed range from constraint-solving techniques to programming methodologies for constraint programming languages. Because there is not yet a universally used syntax for constraint logic programming languages, the authors present the programs in a way that is independent of any existing programming language. Practical exercises cover how to use the book with a number of existing constraint languages. Marriott is with Monash University, Australia, and Stuckey is with the University of Melbourne. The Simple Genetic Algorithm: Foundations and Theory, by Michael D. Vose, A Bradford Book, 220 pages, $35, ISBN 0-262-22058-X The Simple Genetic Algorithm (SGA) is a classical form of genetic search. Viewing the SGA as a mathematical object, the author provides an introduction to what is known (i.e., proven) about the theory of the SGA. He also makes available algorithms for the computation of mathematical objects related to the SGA. Although the book describes the SGA in terms of heuristic search, it is not about search or optimization per se. Rather, the focus is on the SGA as an evolutionary system. The book also serves as an outline for exploring topics in mathematics and computer science in a goal-oriented way. Voss is with the University of Tennessee. An Introduction to Fuzzy Sets: Analysis and Design, by Witold Pedrycz and Fernando Gomide, A Bradford Book, 475 pages, $50, ISBN 0-262-16171-0 The concept of fuzzy sets is one of the most fundamental and influential tools in computational intelligence. Fuzzy sets can provide solutions to a broad range of problems of control, pattern classification, reasoning, planning, and computer vision. This book bridges the gap that has developed between theory and practice. The authors explain what fuzzy sets are, why they work, when they should be used (and when they shouldn't), and how to design systems using them. The authors take an unusual top-down approach to the design of detailed algorithms. They begin with illustrative examples, explain the fundamental theory and design methodologies, and then present more advanced case studies dealing with practical tasks. Pedrycz is with the University of Manitoba, and Gomide is with the State University of Campinas (Brazil). Web Site � Copyright 2020 by Lionheart Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Lionheart Publishing, Inc. 2555 Cumberland Parkway, Suite 299, Atlanta, GA 30339 USA Phone: +44 23 8110 3411 | E-mail: Web: www.lionheartpub.com Web Design by Premier Web Designs E-mail: [email protected]