The Books Corner

The importance of knowing about new publications in a timely manner needs no stressing. This page is devoted to reviews, summaries and/or outlines of recent texts and monographs. The on-line features include links to publishers' websites for detailed examinations of many titles and for ordering copies from the publishers, if desired. Publishers may update or change specific book links periodically, so if a particular book link does not work, try the publisher's link at the bottom of this page, and then look for the book information on the publisher's own website. Sometimes, you may find a good bargain offered by one of the booksellers listed below. For the budget conscious, it could pay to check them before ordering.

For convenience, new listings (though not necessarily new books) since the last update of this page are indicated by the image (look all the way to the bottom of the page for older books that are listed here for the first time). For the time being, only books that have appeared since 1990 are listed here, though this could change later if demand warrants.

Information and links about new books on (or containing a significant treatment and/or applications of) difference equations and discrete dynamical systems should be forwarded to the editor.

Books in 2003:

Nonlinear Difference Equations: Theory with Applications to Social Science Models, by H. Sedaghat, Kluwer
This book provides rigorous treatments of models from various social science disciplines and it also contains detailed expositions of some the latest theory behind the mathematical analysis. Topics covered in depth include stability and chaos in dimensions one and greater, the coexistence and stability of cycles in one dimension, the use of semiconjugacy as a means of bridging the wide gap between dimension 1 and the higher dimensions, weak contractions and expansions, global attractivity and more. Many theoretical results are new and some are presented for the first time in this book; endnotes and an extensive bibliography relate the various topics discussed to the existing literature. The book builds a comprehensive theoretical framework for the study of nonlinear models in discrete time (many with no continuous-time analogs). This aspect of the book makes it a useful resource for graduate students as well as a reference for researchers. To see the preface, sample chapters and other details go to the Internet home of the book.

Partial Difference Equations, by S.S. Cheng, Taylor and Francis

Partial difference equations are a major class of functional relations with recursive structures so that the usual concepts of increments are important. This book describes mathematical methods that help in dealing with recurrence relations governing the behavior of variables such as population size and stock price and will be useful to anyone who has mastered the usual sophomore mathematical concepts. It offers a concise introduction to the tools and techniques that have proven successful in obtaining results in partial difference equations. For a table of contents and more information, click here.

Chaos: A Mathematical Introduction, by J. Banks, V. Dragan, A. Jones, Cambridge (May 03)

This is an introductory book on chaos in the discrete-time setting that may be accessible to people who have taken a first course in undergraduate calculus. The book evolved from a one-semester middle level undergraduate course over a period of several years and has therefore been well class-tested. For details and table of contents, click here.

A First Course in Dynamics, by B. Hasselblat and A. Katok, Cambridge (June 03)
This introductory text covers topological and probabilistic notions in dynamics. The authors use a progression of examples to present the concepts and tools for describing asymptotic behavior in dynamical systems, gradually increasing the level of complexity. Subjects include contractions, logistic maps, equidistribution, symbolic dynamics, mechanics, hyperbolic dynamics, strange attractors, twist maps, and KAM-theory. Click here for a table of contents and more details.

Books in 2002:

Stochastic Finance: An Introduction in Discrete Time, by H. Follmer and A. Schied, de Gruyter
This book presents an introduction to financial mathematics for mathematicians. In contrast to many textbooks on mathematical finance, only discrete-time stochastic models are considered. This has the advantage that the text can concentrate from the beginning on typical problems which are suggested by financial applications. It is intended both for graduate students with a certain background in probability theory as well as for professional mathematicians in industry and academia. Moreover, certain principles, such as the general incompleteness of realistic market models, become thus more transparent and visible. On the other hand, all models are based on general probability spaces, and so the text captures the interplay between probability theory and functional analysis which is typical for modern mathematical finance. For more information, click here.

The Handbook of Brian Theory and Neural Networks, (2nd ed.) Ed. by M.A. Arbib, MIT Press
This book contains a set of almost 300 articles covering topics in brain theory and neural networks. Some of these articles seem to be of potential interest to discrete dynamics folks. Part I provides general background on brain modeling and on both biological and artificial neural networks. Part II consists of "Road Maps" to help readers steer through articles in part III on specific topics of interest. The articles in part III are written so as to be accessible to readers of diverse backgrounds. They are cross-referenced and provide lists of pointers to Road Maps, background material, and related reading. The second edition increases the coverage of models of fundamental neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience, and neural network approaches to language and contains 287 articles, compared to the 266 in the first edition. Articles on topics from the first edition have been updated by the original authors or written anew by new authors, and there are 106 articles on new topics. Click here for more details.

A New Kind of Science, by Stephen Wolfram, Wolfram Media Inc.
This book uses the theory of cellular automata and various issues related to their use in computing to advance a thesis (the "principle of computational equivalence"). The book aims broadly and its style is informal and philosophical with a large number of helpful diagrams and pictures. However, the prose spread over 800 pages of the main text is repetitive and inefficient, so mathematicians interested in cellular automata, their history and their relationship and applications to other mathematical and scientific disciplines may find the end-notes (which are substantial) of greater interest. This book comes up oddly short on its underlying core, the theory of discrete dynamical systems of which cellular automata are examples; see my commentary (and references to web resources on CA). For more details on the book, click here to go to its home on the web.

Introduction to Dynamical Systems, by M. Brin and G. Stuck, Cambridge
An introductory book, with topics in topological dynamics, symbolic dynamics, ergodic theory, hyperbolic dynamics, one-dimensional dynamics, complex dynamics, and measure-theoretic entropy. Some applications to areas such as number theory, data storage, and Internet search engines are included. For more details, click here.

Advances in Dynamic Equations on Time Scales, edited by M. Bohner and A. Peterson, Springer-Verlag
A follow-up to the "Dynamic Equations on Time Scales: An Introduction with Applications" (see the 2001 listing below) in the new area of dynamic equations on time scales. The basic concept is to express dynamic systems on time scales ranging from the discrete (as in difference equations) to the continuous (as in differential equations) as a way of unifying and extending continuous and discrete analysis. For more details and a table of contents, click here.

Chaos in Ecology: Experimental Nonlinear Dynamics, by J. M. Cushing, R. F. Costantino, B. Dennis, R. A. Desharnais, and S. M. Henson, Academic Press
This book describes a decade long interdisciplinary project investigating nonlinear (and, in particular, chaotic) dynamics in a biological population. The project is an application of discrete dynamical systems defined by a system of difference equations. The book is the first in a new Series on Theoretical Ecology to be published by Academic Press. For more details, click here.

Theory of Difference Equations: Numerical Methods and Applications (Second Ed.) by V. Lakshmikantam and D. Trigiante, Marcel-Dekker
This is a new, reworked and expanded edition of the familiar 1980's text. It explores classical problems such as orthogonal polynomials, the Euclidean algorithm, roots of polynomials, and well conditioning. For more information and a table of contents, click here.

Discrete Dynamical Systems and Difference Equations with Mathematica, By M.R.S. Kulenovic and O. Merino, CRC Press;
While presenting the essential theoretical concepts and results, the emphasis in this work is on using the software "Dynamica". The authors present two sets of Dynamica sessions: one that serves as a tutorial of the different techniques, the other features case studies of well-known difference equations. Dynamica and notebooks corresponding to particular chapters are available for download from the Internet. For more details, click here.

Managing emergent phenomena: Nonlinear dynamics in work organizations, by S.J. Guastello, Lawrence-Erlbaum Associates;
This book discusses applications of nonlinear dynamics to organizational behavior and group dynamics. Basic concepts such as chaos, fractals, bifurcations, catastrophies, etc. are discussed together with their applications to diverse areas such as organizational change and development, motivation theory, economics, social networks and creativity.

Gaussian Self-Affinity and Fractals, by B. Mandelbrot, Springer;
This is the third volume of Mandelbrot's Selected Works, focusing on a detailed study of fractional Brownian motions. The fractal themes of "self-affinity" and "globality" are presented. Introductory material, written especially for this book, precedes the papers and presents a number of new observations and conjectures. For more, click this link.

Books in 2001:

Dynamic Asset Pricing Theory, by. D. Duffie, Princeton Univ. Press;
The asset pricing results in this book are based on the three increasingly restrictive assumptions: absence of arbitrage, single-agent optimality, and equilibrium. These results are unified with two key concepts, state prices and martingales. Technicalities are given relatively little emphasis, so as to draw connections between these concepts and to make plain the similarities between discrete and continuous-time models. While much of the continuous-time portion of the theory is based on Brownian motion, this third edition introduces jumps--for example, those associated with Poisson arrivals--in order to accommodate surprise events such as bond defaults. Applications include term-structure models, derivative valuation, and hedging methods. Numerical methods covered include Monte Carlo simulation and finite-difference solutions for partial differential equations. For more information and a table of contents, click this link.

Inequalities for Finite Difference Equations, by B.G. Pachpatte, Marcel-Dekker;
A reference-style book, containing linear and nonlinear difference inequalities, with applications to various types of finite difference and sum—difference equations. Focuses on stability of finite difference systems, and considers inequalities involving iterated sums. Click here for more inforamtion and the table of contents.

Qualitative Methods in Nonlinear Dynamics: Novel Approaches to Liapunov's Matrix Functions, edited by A.A. Martynyuk, Marcel-Dekker;
This book focuses on exponential polystability of separable motions as well as integral and Lipschitz stabilities, and considers problems of dynamics of nonlinear systems in the presence of impulsive perturbations. Click this link for more information and a table of contents.

Dynamics of Second Order Rational Difference equations with Open Problems and Conjectures, by M.R.S. Kulenovic and G. Ladas, CRC;
This self-contained monograph provides a systematic analysis of a class of second-order rational difference equations whose maps consist of a ratio of two linear functions. After classifying the various special cases of these equations and introducing some preliminary results, the authors investigate each equation for semicycles, invariant intervals, boundedness, periodicity, and global stability. For more information and the table of contents, click here.

Dynamic Equations on Time Scales: An Introduction with Applications, by M. Bohner and A.C. Peterson, Birkhauser;
The study of dynamic equations on a measure chain (time scale) goes back to its founder S. Hilger (1988), and is a new area of still fairly theoretical exploration in mathematics. Requiring only a first semester of calculus and linear algebra, Dynamic Equations on Time Scales may be considered as an interesting approach to differential equations via exposure to continuous and discrete analysis. For more information and the table of contents, click this link.

Laminations and Foliations in Dynamics, Geometry and Topology, by M. Lyubich, J. Milnor, Y. Minsky (editors), AMS;
This volume is based on a conference held at SUNY, Stony Brook (NY). The concepts of laminations and foliations appear in a diverse number of fields, such as topology, geometry, analytic differential equations, holomorphic dynamics, and renormalization theory. For list of contributions and more information, click here.

Stability and Complexity in Model Ecosystems, By R.M. May, Princeton University Press;
A paperback reprisal of the influential 1973 classic, with a new introduction by May. For more information and a table of contents, click this link.

The Theory of Difference Schemes, by A.A. Samarskii, Marcel-Dekker;
Illustrates how to solve boundary problems with a unique methodical approach emphasizing the application and creation of difference schemes. For more information, click here.

Qualitative Theory of Dynamical Systems, 2nd ed, A.N. Michel, K. Wang and B. Hu, Marcel Dekker;
Includes a discussion of the Lyapunov and Lagrange stability theory for a general class of dynamical systems in a metric space independently of equations, inequalities, or inclusions; applies the general theory to specific classes of equations; and presents new and expanded material on the stability analysis of hybrid dynamical systems and dynamical systems with discontinuous dynamics. Second Edition adds several case studies and specific examples; for more information and a table of contents, click this link.

Topics in Functional Differential and Difference Equations, T. Faria and P. Freitas, Editors, AMS;
This book contains papers written by participants at the Conference on Functional Differential and Difference Equations held at the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon, Portugal. The authors work in a wide range of topics, including qualitative properties of solutions, bifurcation and stability theory, oscillatory behavior, control theory and feedback systems, biological models, state-dependent delay equations, Lyapunov methods, etc. so the book may be of interest to both theoretical and applied mathematical scientists. Click this AMS link for a list of authors and articles.

Difference Equations: An Introduction with Applications (2nd ed.) by A. Peterson and W. Kelley, Academic Press;
Some of the techniques discussed in this introductory book are summation methods, generating functions, z-transforms, theory of linear equations, matrix methods, stability, chaos, asymptotic methods, Green's functions, finite Fourier analysis, variational methods, fixed point theorems, and connections with differential equations. Applications of difference equations to combinatorics, geometry, epidemiology, special functions, economics, population biology, numerical analysis, circuit analysis, differential equations, and other fields have been included. For more information, click this link.

Dynamical Systems with Applications using Maple, by S. Lynch, Birkhauser;
Introductory differential equations as well as real and complex maps studied with the aid of the software Maple. For detailed information, go to the book's website.

Books in 2000:

Difference Equations and Inequalities, 2nd ed., by Ravi P. Agarwal, Marcel-Dekker;
In this new, revised and expanded edition of the sizable 1992 monograph, one finds 25% all new material, including new problems, additional references, and a new chapter on the qualitative properties of solutions of neutral difference equations. A good resource containing discussions of over 4000 difference equations and inequalities. For more information and a table of contents, click here.

Single-Orbit Dynamics, by B. Weiss, AMS;
An approach to dynamical systems based on "the dynamical study of single orbits as opposed to the global study of the system as a whole". Many common ideas of measure-theoretical dynamics are discussed from this vantage point, including ergodicity and entropy. For more, click this AMS link.

Measure-Preserving Homeomorphisms, by S. Alpern and V.S. Prasad, Cambridge University Press;
An introduction to typical properties of volume preserving homeomorphisms, examples of which include transitivity, chaos and ergodicity. The first part of the book is more concrete, focusing on volume preserving homeomorphisms of the unit n-dimensional cube. Also included are the fixed point theorems of Conley, Zehnder, Franks. For additional information, click this link.

Topics in Symbolic Dynamics and Applications, Ed.s F. Blanchard, et al. Cambridge University Press;
This book is devoted to recent developments in symbolic dynamics, and it comprises eight chapters contributed by various authors. These include the study of symbolic sequences of "low complexity" and of "high complexity" systems, results on asymptotic laws for the random times of occurrence of rare events, diophantine problems and combinatorial Ramsey theory, dynamics of symbolic systems arising from numeration systems, and the symbolic dynamics of Lorenz maps. For contents and more information, click this CUP link.

Holomorphic Dynamics, by S. Morosawa, et al. Cambridge University Press;
The mathematical treatment emphasizes the substantial role of classical complex analysis in understanding holomorphic dynamics and offers up-to-date coverage of the modern theory. The authors cover entire functions, Kleinian groups and polynomial automorphisms of several complex variables such as complex Hénon maps, as well as the case of rational functions. For contents and more information, click this CUP link.

Chaos and Nonlinear Dynamcis, 2nd ed., by R. Hilborn, Oxford University Press;
Introductory book discusses both difference and differential equations. For table of contents, click this OUP link.

Difference Equations with Applications to Queues, by D.L. Jagerman, Marcel Dekker;
This monograph presents a theory of difference and functional equations with continuous argument based on a generalization of the Riemann integral introduced by N. E. Nörlund, allowing differentiation with respect to the independent variable and permitting greater flexibility in constructing solutions and approximations. "Solves the nonlinear first order equation by a variety of methods, including an adaptation of the Lie-Gröbner theory!" For contents and more information, click this Dekker link.

Bifurcations and Catastrophes: Geometry of Solutions to Nonlinear Problems, by M. Demazure, Springer-Verlag;
This text gives a rigorous introduction to many ideas in nonlinear analysis, dynamical systems and bifurcation theory including catastrophe theory. Wherever appropriate it emphasizes a geometrical or coordinate-free approach which allows a clear focus on the essential mathematical structures. Taking a unified view, it brings out features common to different branches of the subject while giving ample references for more advanced or technical developments.

Optimization and Chaos, Edited by M. Majumdar, K. Mitra and T. Nishimura, Springer-Verlag;
This volume brings together a number of advanced research papers on complex behavior of dynamic economic models. These make it clear that complexity cannot be dismissed as "exceptional" or "pathological" and, for explanation and prediction of economic variables, it is imperative to develop models with special structures suggested by empirical studies. Graduate students will find the book valuable for an introduction to optimization and chaos. Specialists will find new directions to explore themes like robustness of chaotic behavior and the role of discounting in generating cycles and complexity. For more information, click this Springer link.

Symmetries and Integrability of Difference Equations, Edited by D. Levi and O. Ragnisco, AMS;
In this collection the reader finds new developments in a number of areas, including: Lie-type symmetries of differential-difference and difference-difference equations, integrability of fully discrete systems such as cellular automata, the connection between integrability and discrete geometry, difference and q-difference equations and orthogonal polynomials, difference equations and quantum groups, and integrability and chaos in discrete-time dynamical systems. Special emphasis on the systems that can be integrated by analytic methods or at least admit special explicit solutions. For more information, click this AMS link.

The Mandelbrot Set, Theme and Variations, Edited by T. Lei, Cambridge University Press;
Contains latest research, some as yet unpublished, on the old bug and related topics. Suitable for researchers and graduate students. Click this CUP link for more information.

Oscillation Theory for Difference and Functional Differential Equations, by Ravi P. Agarwal, Said R. Grace and Donal O'Regan, Kluwer Academic Publishers;
This book is for professional mathematicians and graduate students - for summary and contents, click this Kluwer link.

Discrete Chaos, by Saber N. Elaydi, CRC Press;
This book is similar in its focus to the well-known 1989 text "An Introduction to Chaotic Dynamical Systems" by Robert Devaney (Addison-Wesley). The book is suitable for upper level undergraduate students and non-mathematicians looking for an introduction to discrete dynamical systems. For specific details (table of contents, etc) click this CRC link.

Books in 1999:

Controlling Chaos and Bifurcations in Engineering Systems, by G. Chen, CRC Press;
This book features contributions from experts, highlights open problems in both fundamental theory and potential applications, shows designers how to use chaos and control it to provide a wider variety of properties and greater flexibility in the design process and details some applications from electrical, mechanical, and biomedical engineering. For more information click this link.

Dynamics in One Complex Variable, by J. Milnor, AMS;
The text studies the dynamics of iterated holomorphic mappings from a Riemann surface to itself, concentrating on the classical case of rational maps of the Riemann sphere. It is based on introductory lectures given by Milnor at SUNY, Stony Brook (NY), over the past 10 years. There are many computer generated illustrations. Click here for more details.

Exploring Chaos: Theory and Experiment, by B. Davies, Perseus Publishing Company;
A textbook suitable for undergraduate students and others interested in learning about complex dynamical systems through numerical methods and computer simulations. There is a detailed discussion of dynamics and the various familiar bifurcationsof one dimensional maps, as well as some exposition of two dimensional dynamics and complex plane dynamics and fractals. Proofs are largely omitted and the emphasis is on computer simulations and experiments. Comes with the software Chaos for Java, which may be downloaded from the internet. Read more about the book and the software (and view an interesting Java applet of the Lorenz attractor, if your browser permits it) on the author's website; click Davies to go there.

An Introduction to Difference Equations, (2nd ed.) by Saber N. Elaydi, Springer-Verlag;
This textbook updates the original 1996 edition and is accessible to undergraduates at the level of US college seniors. It is a well written contemporary text and its focus is different from Discrete Chaos mentioned above. It discusses a range of topics, including stability theory (linear and nonlinear), elements of control theory and some classical topics such as the Z-transform and oscillations. Click this Springer link for contents and summary.

Books in 1998:

An Introduction to Structured Population Dynamics, by J.M. Cushing, CBMS-NSF series, 71;
This monograph introduces the theory of structured population dynamics and its applications, focusing on the asymptotic dynamics of deterministic models. Applications that illustrate both the theory and a variety of biological issues are given, along with an interdisciplinary case study that illustrates the connection of models with the data and the experimental documentation of model predictions. The author also discusses the use of discrete and continuous models and presents a general modeling theory for structured population dynamics. Click here for more details and table of contents.

Dynamical Systems: Stability, Symbolic Dynamics, and Chaos (2nd Ed.), by C. Robinson, CRC press;
This book treats the dynamics of both iteration of functions and solutions of ordinary differential equations. Many concepts are first introduced for iteration of functions where the geometry is simpler, but results are interpreted for differential equations. The dynamical systems approach of the book concentrates on properties of the whole system or subsets of the system rather than individual solutions. The more local theory discussed deals with characterizing types of solutions under various hypothesis, and later chapters address more global aspects. Click here for more information.

Analysis of Observed Chaotic Data, by H.D.I. Abarbanel, M.E.Gilpin and M. Rotenberg, Springer-Verlag
This book develops a systematic treatment of time series of data, regular and chaotic, that one finds in observations of nonlinear systems. The emphasis throughout is on the use of the modern mathematical tools for investigating chaotic behavior to uncover properties of physical systems. The methods require knowledge of dynamical systems at the advanced undergraduate level and some knowledge of Fourier transforms and other signal processing methods. For more information, click this link.

Applied Symbolic Dynamics and Chaos, by B-L Hao and W-M Zheng, World Scientific;
This book discusses symbolic dynamics for one dimensional maps (unimodal, multiple critical points, circle maps) and for some two dimensional maps and ODE's. Applications to grammatical complexity, knot theory and counting the number of critical points are presented. Also see the 1996 book by Xie below. For more information, go to the publisher's website, then click "nonlinear science and chaos" and find the title in the list provided.

The Complex Matters of the Mind, by Franco Orsucci, World Scientific;
A book for a wide audience (Neuroscientists, psychologists, applied mathematicians, physicists, biologists and computer scientists). Includes works in the areas of psychology, linguistics, anthropology, etc. For more information, go to the publisher's website, then click "nonlinear science and chaos" and find the title in the list provided.

Analysis and Modelling of Discrete Dynamical Systems, edited by Daniel Benest and Claude Froeschle, Gordon and Breach Publishers;
This book is interesting for its applications in physics and mechanics and it is directed at mathematicians and graduate students - for summary and contents, click this GBP link.

Nonlinear Dynamics and Endogenous Cycles, edited by Gilbert Abraham-Frois, Springer-Verlag;
A series of articles on economic applications of nonlinear difference and differential equations; primarily for researchers and graduate students. Click this Springer link for more information.

Nonlinear Physics for Beginners, edited by Lui Lam, World Scientific;
Topics in chaos, fractals, cellular automata, etc. There are student projects, but the "beginner" should be serious and motivated. For more information, go to the publisher's website, then click "nonlinear science and chaos" and find the title in the list provided.

Books in 1997:

Nonlinear Economic Dynamics (4th ed.), by T. Puu, Springer-Verlag;
Topics from both micro- and macroeconomics that exhibit various types of dynamical behavior, such as limit cycles, quasiperiodicity, bifurcations, and chaos are studied in this book. Models appear in both discrete time and in continous time in this completely rewritten fourth edition which has an extensive mathematical introduction, dealing with both differential equations, and with discrete maps that make the book self-contained. For more information click here.

Exotic Attractors, J. Buesco; Birkhauser;
This book on attractors in dynamical systems will appeal primarily to researchers and advanced postgraduate students working in the area of dynamical systems. The study is divided roughly into two parts: The first part discusses several different notions of attractor and illustrates by examples and counterexamples. The second part of the book deals with two different problems in discrete dynamics to which the author has contributed. For more, click this Birkhauser link.

Nonlinear Dynamics and Time Series, Edited by C.D. Cutler, AMS,
This book is a collection of research and expository papers reflecting the interfacing of two fields: nonlinear dynamics (in the physiological and biological sciences) and statistics. The papers highlight current areas of research in statistics that might have particular applicability to nonlinear dynamics and new methodology and open data analysis problems in nonlinear dynamics that might find their way into the toolkits and research interests of statisticians. For more information, click this AMS link.

Economic Dynamics, by G. Gandolfo, Springer-Verlag;
Economic modelling using difference and differential equations - good for theoretical economists as well as mathematicians and graduate students looking for applications to theoretical economic models. Click this Springer link for more information.

Nonlinear Economic Dynamics, by T. Puu, Springer-Verlag;
Nonlinear discrete and continuous time business cycles; for researchers and graduate students. Click this Springer link for more information.

Laws of Chaos, by Abraham Boyarsky and Pawel Gora, Birkhauser;
This graduate level textbook is a detailed and updated introduction to the stochastic aspects of discrete one-dimensional dynamics, and as such is suitable for specialists who wish to gain a thorough understanding of the probabilisitic and ergodic aspects of one-dimensional maps. Topics include ergodic theory, absolutely continuous invariant measures, the Ferobnius-Perron operator, Markov transformations and applications to certain chaotic systems. For more information and table of contents, click this Birkhauser link.

Chaos in Discrete Dynamical Systems, by Ralph H.Abraham, Laura Gardini and Christian Mira, Springer-Verlag;
This book comes with a CD-ROM and gives an introductory account of the works of Mira and others using critical curves for the analysis of attractors and bifurcations in the plane (see the 1996 entry below). Ralph Abraham's visual approach is likely to appeal to broad audiences without a significant mathematical background, including college freshmen. Click this Springer link for more information.

Advanced Topics in Difference Equations, by Ravi P. Agarwal and Patricia J.Y. Wong, Kluwer Academic Publishers;
This book contains some of the authors' own results and it is for professional mathematicians and graduate students - for summary and contents, click this Kluwer link.

Books in 1996:

Discretization of Homoclinic Orbits, Rapid Forcing and Invisible Chaos, by B. Fiedler and J. Schurle, AMS
The authors study the behavior of a homoclinic orbit under discretization. Under generic assumptions they show that this orbit becomes transverse for positive step size e. Likewise, the region where complicated "chaotic" dynamics prevail is under certain conditions estimated to be exponentially small. These results are illustrated by high precision numerical experiments. Click this AMS link for more information.

Renormalization and Geometry in One Dimensional and Complex Dynamics, by Y-P Jiang, World Scientific;
This book discusses various aspects of renormalization for one dimensional maps. Suitable for physics and mathematics researchers and graduate students. For more information, go to the publisher's website, then click "nonlinear science and chaos" and find the title in the list provided.

Chaotic Dynamics in Two-Dimensional Noninvertible Maps, by Christian Mira, Laura Gardini, Alexandre Barugola and Jean-Claude Cathala, World Scientific;
The concept of critical curves and their use in the study of complex dynamics exhibited by endomorphisms of the plane, is the main subject of this well-illustrated book. Although working with critical curves is not easy, the method can yield significant infomation about attractor structure and bifurcations, especially if adequate computing resources are available. For more information, go to the publisher's website, then click "nonlinear science and chaos" and find the title in the list provided.

Chaos: An Introduction to Dynamic Systems, by K. Alligood, T. Sauer and J.A. Yorke, Springer-Verlag;
This textbook is accessible to post calculus undergraduate students (level of US sophomores or above), by three authors who are known experts in the field. Click this Springer link for contents and summary.

Grammatical Complexity and One Dimensional Dynamical Systems, by H.M. Xie, World Scientific;
An unusual application of symbolic dynamics, automata, etc. For more information, go to the publisher's website, then click "nonlinear science and chaos" and find the title in the list provided.

A First Course in Discrete Dynamical Systems, by Richard Holmgren, Springer-Verlag;
Many are familiar with this concise, undergraduate level introduction to discrete dynamical systems. The second edition contains Mathematica programs. Click this Springer link for more information.

Books in 1995:

Nonlinear Dynamics in Economics, by B. Finkenstädt, Springer-Verlag;
This book deals with nonlinear economic dynamics and chaotic motion where a specific approach is taken to the evolution of prices in agricultural markets. Topics covered include correlation integral diagnostics, testing for nonlinear dependencies in a time series, nearest neighbor prediction and a robust nonparametric methodology. For more information, click here.

Second Order Sturm-Liouville Difference Equations and Orthogonal Polynomials, by A. Jirari, AMS
This book develops a theory for regular and singular Sturm-Liouville boundary value problems for difference equations, generalizing many of the known results for differential equations. The book is suitable as a text for an advanced graduate course on Sturm-Liouville operators or on applied analysis. Click this AMS link for more information.

Computational Analysis of One-Dimensional Cellular Automata, by B.H. Voorhees, World Scientific;
Not exactly difference equations, but certainly discrete dynamics! Seems like a good introduction to the curious topic of cellular automata that is mathematically within the reach of US undergraduate levels. For more information, go to the publisher's website, then click "nonlinear science and chaos" and find the title in the list provided.

Chaos, Catastrophe and Human Affairs, by Stephen J. Guastello, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates;
Applications of catastrophe theory and nonlinear systems to psychology: work, organizations and social evolution.

Books in 1994:

Coping with Chaos, edited by E. Ott, T. Sauer, J.A. Yorke, Wiley;
A collection of mathematical ideas about the analysis of chaotic phenomena encountered in phyiscs. However, many of these ideas have been found useful in other fields including biology and life sciences. The topics covered include Liapunov exponents, embeddings, noise reduction and chaos control. The introductory "backgound" section is very helpful. For more, click this link.

Fractal Analysis Software Package: A Fractal Generator for Windows 3.x, by P. Ferland, C. Tricot and A. van de Walle, AMS
The software features an accessible geometrical approach and user-friendly environment. The user can create and render a famous family of fractal images: iterated function systems of affine application attractors. Several methods of fractal dimension estimation, such as the box counting method and the Minkowski sausage method, are included. The software makes complete use of the user-friendly environment and interfacing capabilities of Microsoft WindowsTM 3.x. Click this AMS link for more information.

Business Cycles: Theory and Empirical Methods, edited by Willi Semmler, Kluwer Academic Publishers;
Applications of difference and differential equations to economic business cycle models; for researchers and graduate students. Click this Kluwer link for contents and more information.

Books in 1993:

Nonlinear Dynamics in Economics and Social Sciences, edited by F. Gori, L. Geronazzo and M. Galeotti, Springer-Verlag;
This volume constitutes the Proceedings of the "Nonlinear Dynamics in Economics and Social Sciences" Meeting held at the Certosa di Pontignano, Siena, 1991 and includes contributions by both economists and mathematicians. It includes 13 contributed papers covering endogenous cycles, imperfectly competitive economics, real wage dynamics, keynesian business cycle theory, complexity of optimal paths, incomplete markets, walrasian and non-walrasian equilibria and financial dynamics. For more information, click here.

The General Topology of Dynamical Systems, by E. Akin, AMS;
A general theory of topological dynamics in metric spaces is presented based on closed relations rather than maps or flows. The author likens this work to John Kelley's classic "Topology" and the style of presentation is indeed similar (one might also recall Paul Halmos's approach in "Measure Theory"). As such, it is not a quick read but important areas are covered thoroughly; they include Liapunov functions, chain recurrence, invariant measures, attractors and hyperbolic sets/axiom A homeomorphism. Certain aspects are presented within the context of maps or flows, as pertinent. For more information, click this AMS link.

Continuum Theory and Dynamic Systems, Edited by T. West, Marcel-Dekker;
Based on a Conference/Workshop on Continuum Theory and Dynamical Systems held in Lafayette, Louisiana. Illustrates the current expansion of knowledge on the relationship between these subjects. For contents and more information, click this Dekker link.

Combinatorial Dynamics and Entropy in Dimension One, by L. Alseda, J. Llibre, M. Misiurewicz, World Scientific;
This book is suitable for mathematicians and graduate students. It covers Sharkovski's theorem for the line, and its analogs for the circle, and discusses topological entropy. The exposition is detailed, and some of the topics (e.g., the results on the circle) are rarely seen in book form. For more information, go to the publisher's website, then click "nonlinear science and chaos" and find the title in the list provided.

Global Behavior of Nonlinear Difference Equations of Higher Order with Applications, by V.L. Kocic and G. Ladas, Kluwer Academic Publishers;
An influential book in the area of nonlinear difference equations, with applications to problems in biology. The authors present and discuss in detail, several general and specific types of nonlinear, higher order scalar difference equations. The methodology is often equation-specific, a fact that accounts for rather sharp results in many cases, but which also limits applicability in some cases. Introduction of certain concepts (e.g., semicycles) is timely and relevant as the young field expands and defines itself. Results include some general theorems on permanence, oscillations, global attractivity and/or stability of equilibria and cycles, as well as specific results for certain equations motivated by biological models. A list of open problems and conjectures motivates further research. A good working book for researchers and graduate students. For a table of contents and more information, click this Kluwer link.

Difference Equations and their Applications, by A.N. Sharkovski, Yu.L. Maistrenko and E.Yu. Romanenko, Kluwer Academic Publishers;
The most significant part of this book for most readers is likely to be the first part concerning first order difference equations. It contains several important contributions, some well known (like the first author's theorem on coexistence of cycles) and others lesser known, though quite interesting. The book contains many good examples and diagrams, and the authors should be commended for taking care to put many of the non-transparent concepts in perspective with suitable remarks and elaborations judiciously inserted in between lemmas, theorems, etc. The main complaint about the book would be the tiny index and the fact that definitions are not properly highlighted. Although challenging technical details abound and coverage is in-depth and at an advanced level, it is recommended for both researchers and graduate students; click this Kluwer link for contents and more information.

Discrete Dynamical Modeling, by J.T. Sandefur, Oxford University Press;
A well-written introduction full of examples and applications. Requires only a semester of calculus, and otherwise self-contained. A recommended introductory text for undergraduates. Click this OUP link for contents and more details.

Books in 1992:

Economic Evolution and Demographic Change, edited by G. Haag, U. Mueller, K.G. Troitzsch, Springer-Verlag;
The articles collected in this volume relate to economics, demography and geography. The book is subdivided into three parts, where Part I focuses on economic evolution, Part II on geographical development and Part III is related to demographic change. The book is addressed to social scientists in general, and those in particular with a background in economics, geographics and demographics. It should also be of interest to mathematicians, physicists, and systems analysts interested in model building and applications of nonlinear dynamics. For more information, click here.

A First Course in Chaotic Dynamical Systems, by R.L. Devaney, Perseus Publishing Company;
The undergraduate level version of the author's influential 1989 text. To read more, click this Perseus link. The author's website contains information about this and his other books; click Devaney to go there.

Dynamics in One Dimension, by L. Block and W.A. Coppel, Springer-Verlag;
This book, suitable for graduate students and mathematicians, covers certain aspects of the dynamics of one dimensional maps in detail. Topics covered include basics of maps of the line and the circle, Sharkovski's theorem, chaotic maps, chain recurrence and topological entropy. For more information, click here.

Cycles and Chaos in Economic Equilibrium, edited by Jesse Benhabib, Princeton University Press;
A collection of papers, many original contributions, make this a valuable resource for the difference equations specialist interested in the use of difference and differential equations in economic modeling. Highly recommended for researchers and graduate students. For a table of contents and more information, click this PUP link.

Nonlinear Systems, by P.G. Drazin, Cambridge University Press;
A well-written textbook at the level of US upperlevel undergraduates, this book presents introductory topics in difference and differential equations. Click this CUP link for contents and more information.

Chaotic Dynamics: Theory and Practice, edited by T. Bountis, Pluenum/Kluwer Academic;
This NATO ASI Series volume contains some interesting papers on difference equations/discrete dynamical systems and their applications; click this Kluwer link for more information.

Books in 1991:

Difference Equations, Theory and Applications, (2nd ed.) by Ronald Mickens, CRC Press;
Classical difference equations theory with applications from natural and social sciences; suitable for graduate students and upper level undergraduate students as well as those looking for an introduction to difference equations. Book information and a table of contents may be found here.

Dynamics of Fractal Surfaces, edited by Freydoon Family and Tamas Vicsek, World Scientific;
Growth of rough, fractal surfaces, for researchers and graduate students. For more information, go to the publisher's website, then click "nonlinear science and chaos" and find the title in the list provided.

Books in 1990:

Chaos and Socio-Spatial Dynamics, by D. Dendrinos and M. Sonis, Springer-Verlag;
Applications of difference equations to spatially dependent sociological models; here is a Springer link for this book.

An Introduction to Dynamical Systems, by D.K. Arrowsmith and C.M. Place, Cambridge University Press;
This book covers both maps and flows. It is has many exercies, some with hints, and covers most of the standard results (up to its publication date) but perhaps the best feature is the way it is so well-illustrated. Many parts of it are accessible to upper level undergraduate students (US college standard), although like many other books on dynamical systems, it also contains sophisticated results, often presented without proof. Here is the CUP link for this book.


Links to publishers and booksellers:

Publishers:

Academic Press
American Mathematical Society (AMS)
Birkhauser
Cambridge University Press
CRC Press
De Gruyter
John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
Kluwer Academic Publishers
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
Marcel Dekker, Inc.
MIT Press
Oxford University Press
Perseus Publishing Company
Princeton University Press
Springer-Verlag
Taylor and Francis Group
World Scientific

Booksellers:

Amazon

Barnes and Nobel

Best Book Buys

Booksamillion

Borders

Ecampus

Fatbrain-Mathematics

Fetchbook

Reiters Scientific and Professional Books

Varsitybooks

Wal*Mart


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Last update: 2003(87)