Book Review [review of Algorithmic Information Theory: Mathematics of Digital Information Processing (Seibt, P.; 2006)]

Despite its title, this book is not a book about information theory, nor it it a book about algorithms per se. Rather, the book includes a few classical topics from information theory and, unfortunately, these topics are treated in a whimsical way that ranges from elementary to incomplete and from condensed to expansive. As a result, it is difficult to identify a thread of coherence in the development. Some of the topics addressed include: lossless compression; cryptography; sampling and analog-to-digital conversion; error control coding; and lossy compression. Clearly the author has an eclectic and unconventional viewpoint in putting together the material for this book. It is not clear who the audience is that the author is targeting. An expert might be amused by the presentation but probably would not find the presentation beneficial. The book is not suitable for beginners in the field of communications or signal processing. The book also is not suitable for those pursuing the mathematics behind information processing, as it falls short of exhibiting the mathematical precision needed to convey the fundamental theoretical concepts behind information and its processing.