Algorithms to Live By by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths

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Algorithms to Live By is a fascinating nonfiction read. As the title goes, authors Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths explore a selection of famous algorithms and procedures from computer science and apply them to aspects of our everyday lives. These aspects range from things such as scheduling your day, to knowing how long to search through a list for a best choice (which happens to be after you’ve gone through precisely 37% of the options).

As someone quite involved in computer science, this book was both familiar and new to me at the same time. The familiar nature of the book came from some of the algorithms the authors mentioned, which I had previously explored in academic studies and personal learning. However, one doesn’t need to have already known the computational concepts present to understand the book as the authors go over them in detail. What was new for me was their application, which provided a new perspective on computer science. Most of my computer programs are utilities, less concerned with being concepts that I could follow outside the field. Reading this book has shown me that computer science has much greater applications and usefulness to the world, not just in coding helpful applications but also being a guide for making better decisions in life.

I recommend this book to anyone looking to explore this new perspective, as well as to anyone interested in aspects of computer science.