The origins of the word problem are in group theory, decidability and complexity. But through the vision of M. Gromov and the language of filling functions, the topic now impacts the world of large-scale geometry. This book contains accounts of many recent developments in Geometric Group Theory and shows the interaction between the word problem and geometry continues to be a central theme. It contains many figures, numerous exercises and open questions.

In "Fever," music critic Tim Riley argues that while political and athletic role models have let us down, rock and roll has provided enduring role models for men and women. From Elvis Presley to Tina Turner to Bruce Springsteen to Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, Riley makes a persuasive case that rock and roll, far from the corrosive force that conservative critics make it out to be, has instead been a positive influence in people's lives, laying out gender-defying role models far more enduringly than movies, TV, or "real life."

Successful software depends as much on scrupulous testing as it does on solid architecture or elegant code. But testing is not a routine process, it's a constant exploration of methods and an evolution of good ideas. Beautiful Testing offers 23 essays from 27 leading testers and developers that illustrate the qualities and techniques that make testing an art. Through personal anecdotes, you'll learn how each of these professionals developed beautiful ways of testing a wide range of products -- valuable knowledge that you can apply to your own projects.Here's a sample of what you'll find inside: Microsoft's Alan Page knows a lot about large-scale test automation, and shares some of his secrets on how to make it beautifulScott Barber explains why performance testing needs to be a collaborative process, rather than simply an exercise in measuring speedKaren Johnson describes how her professional experience intersected her personal life while testing medical softwareRex Black reveals how satisfying stakeholders for 25 years is a beautiful thingMathematician John D. Cook applies a classic definition of beauty, based on complexity and unity, to testing random number generators

All author royalties will be donated to the Nothing But Nets campaign to save lives by preventing malaria, a disease that kills millions of children in Africa each year.This book includes contributions from: Adam GoucherLinda WilkinsonRex BlackMartin SchroderClint TalbertScott BarberKamran KhanEmily ChenBrian NitzRemko TronconAlan PageNeal NorwitzMichelle LevesqueJeffrey YasskinJohn D. CookMurali NandigamaKaren N. JohnsonChris McMahonJennitta AndreaLisa CrispinMatt HeusserAndreas ZellerDavid SchulerTomasz KojmAdam ChristianTim RileyIsaac Clerencia

A unique combination of musical analysis and cultural history, Tell Me Why stands alone among Beatles books with its single-minded focus on the most important aspect of the band: its music. Riley offers a new, deeper understanding of the Beatles by closely considering each song and album they recorded in an exploration as rigorous as it is soulful. He tirelessly sifts through the Beatles discography, making clear that the legendary four were more than mere teen idols: They were brilliant innovators who mastered an extremely detailed art. Since the first publication of Tell Me Why in 1988, much new primary source material has appeared,Paul McCartney's authorized biography, the Anthology CDs and videos, the complete Parlophone-sequenced albums on CD, the Live at the BBC sessions, and the global smash 1 . Riley incorporates all the new material in an update that makes this a crucial book for Beatles fans.

Ranging over 30 years of albums and outtakes, bootleg recordings, films, and live concerts, Riley delivers fresh analyses of Bob Dylan's songs, charts the mercurial shifts in the Dylan persona, assesses the singer's debt to earlier musicians, and reveals the shadow he casts on the work of Springsteen and others.