I agree with your analysis. From my review of Skiena (http://www.mccaughan.org.uk/g/books/alg-design.html): "Put differently, this is a book for algorithmic engineers rather than for algorithmic scientists." And: "You really wouldn't want this to be your only algorithms book. It doesn't have enough in it, it doesn't go deeply enough into anything, and a certain amount of the bracing mathematical rigour that the book so conspicuously lacks is ... well, good for the soul, I suppose. So go buy Cormen, Leiserson & Rivest. Then, unless you're already an expert algorist, buy this one too."