Complex analysis can be a difficult subject and many introductory texts are just too ambitious for today's students. This book takes a lower starting point than is traditional and concentrates on explaining the key ideas through worked examples and informal explanations, rather than through dry theory.
Complex analysis can be a difficult subject and many introductory texts are just too ambitious for today's students. This book takes a lower starting point than is traditional and concentrates on explaining the key ideas through worked examples and informal explanations, rather than through dry theory.
From the reviews:
Howie's book is a gem. I want to use it the next time I teach complex analysis. Not only do Howie's selection of topics and their sequence correspond perfectly to what I believe to be the ideal approach to this gorgeous subject, the writing style is (again) wonderful...I think this is a terrific book. I'm going to use it the first chance I get. And I recommend it very, very highly.
MAA Online
Howie has written an outstanding book on complex variables...The readability of the book is improved by more than 80 figures and numerous examples. Also included are 140 exercises with complete solutions in an appendix. All this makes the book ideal for self-study. Summing up: Highly recommended.
CHOICE
This book provides a self-study text for students in mathematics, science and engineering. It covers all the topics likely to feature in a first course in complex analysis up to Laurent series, the residue theorem and conformal mappings. ... Many carefully worked examples and more than 100 exercises with solutions make the book a valuable contribution to the extensive literature on complex analysis. (F.Haslinger, Monatshefte fur Mathematik, Vol. 143 (2), 2004)
This is a superbly well-written, balanced introduction to complex analysis that will meet the needs of a wide range of undergraduates. ... Here, page after page, I found myself nodding in agreement with the choices that the author has made ... . 'Of all the many introductions to complex analysis, Howie's is arguably the most attractive'. (Nick Lord, The Mathematical Gazette, Vol. 88 (512), 2004)
This book takes account of the varying needs and backgrounds and provides a self-study text for students in mathematics, science and engineering. ... Clear and careful explanations are backed up with worked examples and more than 100 exercises, for which full solutions are provided. (L'ENSEIGNEMENT MATHEMATIQUE, Vol. 49 (3-4), 2003)
Howie ... has written an outstanding book on complex variables. ... The readability of the book is improved by more than 80 figures and numerous examples. Also included are 140 exercises with complete solutions in an appendix. All this make the book ideal for self-study. Summing Up: Highly recommended. (D.P.Turner, CHOICE, December, 2003)