Graph Theory for Dummies Book

Question

Does anyone have a good book on Graph Theory that will introduce me to some of the basic concepts without being so filled with terminology that it's hard to read? I have taken an introductory course (that had no book) and I struggled through it but didn't learn what I should have. I am now a graduate student taking a graduate Graph Theory course (again with no book) and would like a book that can help me develop a stronger base of the beginner topics on my own.

I really would like to stress that the more readable the text is the better it will be for me. Also something with a lot of examples.

Thank you!

score 6 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 03 '15 at 19:56

Permit me to recommend Pearls in Graph Theory:

Hartsfield, Nora, and Gerhard Ringel. Pearls in Graph Theory: a Comprehensive Introduction. Courier Corporation, 2013. (Dover link.)

Here is an excerpt from an enthusiastic review by Joan Hutchinson:

Pearls in Graph Theory begins informally and at an elementary level, suitable for a substantial freshman-sophomore course. After intuitive introductions, concepts and theory are developed with increasing depth, leading into material for a good intermediate-level course. Included also are appropriate open conjectures...

Incidentally, it is only \$10-\$20.

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 03 '15 at 20:04

4

There is a free book available online by Diestel, and it's very readable. I used it when I taught an undergraduate course last year. Tons of examples to make the definitions clear:

http://diestel-graph-theory.com/

answered Sep 03 '15 at 20:04

David White

171

1

Diesel is very readable, but not elementary, covering a significant range of sophisticated modern graph theory in remarkably few pages. – Gordon Royle Sep 04 '15 at 09:54
It looks very nice! – linear_combinatori_probabi Sep 04 '20 at 12:20

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 03 '15 at 23:31

3

I'm very fond of Trudeau, Dots and Lines. It has been reissued as Introduction To Graph Theory, a much less inviting title.

answered Sep 03 '15 at 23:31

Gerry Myerson

185,413

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 03 '15 at 19:31

0

Bollobas' "Modern graph theory" is very nice. Would not call it a "for dummies" book, though.

answered Sep 03 '15 at 19:31

Igor Rivin

26,372

1

-1 for mentioning a book which is not what the OP wanted. – Quora Feans Sep 04 '15 at 00:30
1

In fact this is exactly the opposite of what OP needs. IMHO, Bollobas' writing style is mostly aimed at professionals - and he has a tendency to leave holes in his proofs for the reader to fill in, which is fine but not suitable for beginners. – Manuel Lafond Sep 04 '15 at 17:11
@ManuelLafond Chacun a son gout – Igor Rivin Sep 04 '15 at 18:24
@Igor Rivin Of course it might be an easy read for somebody like you :) But I remember struggling with this book when I was an undergraduate. – Manuel Lafond Sep 04 '15 at 18:47
@ManuelLafond Well, my recollection was that it had a very nice selection of topics, and the arguments, complete or no, were quite well chosen... – Igor Rivin Sep 04 '15 at 19:03

Graph Theory for Dummies Book

4 Answers4