Book Review

Book Review: Modern Graph Theory Algorithms with Python

Learn how to work with graphs in Python

Andrew Lukyanenko
2 min readSep 18, 2024

I was offered to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Modern Graph Theory Algorithms with Python” aims to provide a comprehensive overview of graph theory concepts with practical Python examples. While the book covers an impressive range of topics and provides a substantial amount of information, there are several areas where it could be improved.

What I liked:

  • Comprehensive Coverage: The book tackles many graph theory concepts, which could be valuable for readers looking to dive deep into the subject. Its ambitious scope makes it a potentially useful reference for those already familiar with the basics of graph algorithms.
  • Practical Examples: The authors include a range of Python code snippets to illustrate different algorithms. This hands-on approach could be beneficial for readers who prefer learning through coding.
  • Visual Elements: There are plenty of images and diagrams that attempt to clarify some of the graph theory concepts. These can be helpful for those who find visual aids useful when learning complex topics.

What could be improved:

  • Overuse of Images: Despite their potential to enhance understanding, many of the images feel somewhat redundant. It sometimes appears that the authors included them merely to add volume to the book, rather than to contribute meaningfully to the explanations.
  • Introduction of Complex Terminology: The book introduces a plethora of complex terms, sometimes without adequate explanation or context. This approach can overwhelm readers, especially those new to graph theory.
  • Frequent Switching of Ideas: The text often jumps between different concepts and introduces new ones without sufficient elaboration. This can be confusing and makes it difficult to follow the overall structure of the material.

Overall Impression:

The book has its strengths in terms of breadth and practical coding elements. However, it falls short in its presentation and pacing — for beginners or those looking for a smoother learning experience, this book might be more challenging than helpful.

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