Just an FYI, Manning has a code the past two days for 50% off all books, and they will often have 35-50% off single books at anyone time. Their shipping is also expensive for a single item, but free for three. But yes, otherwise it's very expensive. $45 for a 200 page picture book on algorithms is a bit steep.

Correct, Manning frequently does "deal of the day". I will tweet the next time it happens for my book (@_egonschiele). I don't set the prices (obviously). The book is also available through Safari books online, and US-based folks can request it at their library also.

Oh really? I have access to Safari. Thanks.

Still though, I think later this week I will buy a copy. I like your blog too, and after years of intro level courses of different types (currently watched my eyes water over when redoing insertion sort in Scala with Odersky in his Scala class in Coursera doing pattern matching and functional decomposition), perhaps all I really need is a picture book.

Out of curiosity, as a busy (what seems to be from your blog and GH profile) Etsy engineer, how did you get into writing such books?

I am very newbish but I love the quality content coming out of non-traditional non-academics on better CS instruction. What makes you tick, egonschiele?

Thanks, that's very nice of you to say. I wrote the book because I didn't find an easy-to-read book on algorithms, and it took me a long time to learn. I think teaching hard concepts in a clear way is very important, so that's what I try to do with my book and blog.

Tell me about it. I think picture books for programming. Animated turtles all the way down!

Got it on safari. Loving the book so far.