The quantum computing books listed below, which I have read in their entirety, were all challenging except one.
cover the theoretical implications of quantum computing for programming, with notions of history in space, too. they are also recent offerings published in 2018 or 2019) with the exception of the book by scott aaronson, as I thought an industry as disruptive as quantum computing needs publications that are as up-to-date as possible.
You are reading: Books on quantum computing
Some books are of better literary quality, while others give you the background you need to understand the more demanding aspects of quantum computing. and these 7 best quantum books listed below, well, they just shine in both style and content, hitting the ultimate golden mean.
so let’s get started!
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7 best quantum computing books
1. quantum computing for all (mit press) 2019
what better book on quantum computing to start the list than quantum computing for everyone by chris bernhardt, published in 2019 by mit press. Bernhardt, a British professor of mathematics at Fairfield University, Connecticut, tries and succeeds in introducing the uninitiated to the strange world of quantum computing.
As a mathematician by profession, man’s understanding of quantum physics is surprising. in chapter two, however, linear algebra, the inevitable happens and the mathematician takes over with his number-laden descriptions. At just shy of 220 pages, the book does a good job of making many of the quality control concepts accessible.
bernhardt’s book is divided into nine chapters:
- spin
- linear algebra
- spin and qubits
- interweaving
- bell inequality
- classical logic
- gates and circuits
- gates and quantum circuits
- quantum algorithms
- Impact of quantum computing
each topic is presented “clearly”, in prose that is “quite mathematical/physical”, yet contains a flow that is both poetic and educational at the same time. the author intentionally keeps the content ‘accessible’ to the non-specialist while he manages to educate at the same time. the simple black and white diagrams, which are generously scattered throughout the book, add simplistic meaning to the opaqueness of the subject.
an extra point.
[…] It should be noted that this book deals with the theory of quantum computing. it’s about software, not hardware.”— professor chris bernhardt, quantum computing for all
bernhardt, then, manages to eradicate some of the prohibitive concepts of quality control with a simple stroke of his pen. like a hero of mine, richard feynman, ‘humanizes’ the theme, altering the impossible — well — as in the title, for everyone.
I’m usually won over initially by some of the QA articles I’ve tried to read in publications like quanta and new scientist detailing some of the more difficult QA concepts. maybe they are science journalists or doctors. candidates trying to make a name for themselves through those portals, believing that the harder they make the idea they are trying to sell, the better it will be viewed by the wider scientific audience.
and that may be true.
Complex symbols, numbers, and others are few and far between in this book, though one caveat is that some of the more difficult, but essential QA theories, such as Shor’s algorithm, are overlooked. .
for those who have the book with the intention of getting a basic quality control review, that’s not all bad. he sees the new scientific paradigm as something that should be accessible to everyone and everyone, not just the people around him.
some would argue — and these are people with no math or physics background at all, not even at the high school level — that the title of the book is not for everyone, however.
And maybe they’re right.
for those who have never heard of “dirac algebra” or “fourier transforms” and other “basic” principles of quantum physics, quantum computing for everyone is going to be a tall order. It’s a shallow overview, but more for a bratty undergraduate with enough education to know that he’s smart enough to know that he doesn’t know shit.
quantum computing for everyone, while an excellent book, is not “for everyone”. it is for the reader who has been on the qc journey for at least a few years, a high school math graduate with a reasonable understanding of classical physics, an individual willing to go the extra mile to integrate their technological knowledge with a future career in space.
2. dancing with qubits: how quantum computing works and how it can change the world (package release) 2019
next among the books on quantum computing is dancing with qubits: how quantum computing works and how it can change the world by robert s. sutor, a man who needs no introduction. sutor, a mathematician by profession who earned a Ph.D. from princeton university, he has been a leading light in innovative industries for over three decades, while for twenty of them he has been working at ibm on research in several different areas of technology, including research on artificial intelligence, blockchain, and computer science. mathematics. however, his best work can be seen in what he has contributed to qc over the last decade.
If you want to learn, then you should learn from the best, and there is no better teacher than Sutor in the industry.
The first thing I have to say about the book is that the introduction is as clear as possible, giving accurate but simple information about the basic principles of mathematics and physics and how they correlate with quantum computing.
The book’s preface begins with the great Danish quantum physicist Niels Bohr’s proclamation that “everything we call real is made of things that cannot be called real.” it is a taste of things to come. divided into two main parts, ‘fundamentals’ and ‘quantum computing’, which have their respective subsections, including the aptly titled ‘motion to two dimensions’, ‘the fundamental functions’, ‘matrix algebra’ and ‘the quantum z gate’, sutor runs through the full range of theoretical implications and practical applications for quality control in an easily accessible narrative.
Like Bernhardt’s book, the author assumes the reader has a fundamental understanding of basic physics and math concepts, at least to the level required by a college freshman or high school geek. .
This book would be good as a textbook as well as for the student who prefers to learn independently.
Black and white diagrams abound (there’s even a photo of Richard Feynman), clarifying, through visual models, some of the more difficult concepts.
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if sutor ever gets fired from his job at ibm, he could easily launch a career as a writer. his style is tight, entertaining, and philosophically pondered, while lacking the condescending bile that is common in many of the academic books and doctorates. papers.
you can read matt swayne’s review after talking to sutor here.
3. quantum computing: an applied approach (springer) 2019
another book of 2019 is jack d. Hidary’s Quantum Computing: An Applied Approach, currently bestselling book on amazon listed. the author leads a team at alphabet/google focused on quantum technology and is a technology researcher and entrepreneur, and has co-authored many more books on quantum computing. the style is excellent but i feel that, unlike the mentorship offer—or, in fact, bernhardt’s book—much of the information is too technical (however, this is not the author’s fault, but mine as a reader) . however, this is the way it should be, since it is used as the main textbook in master’s and doctoral degrees. programs at the university of waterloo and other universities.
hidary, who studied philosophy and neuroscience at columbia university, is now focusing on the nexus between quantum technologies and artificial intelligence at google. With a business career stretching back twenty-five years, he is well placed to discuss all things future. In addition, he has given more than 30 lectures on quantum computing at universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, Bristol, MIT, and Stanford.
As in the other books, the preface and content are clearly presented, as well as the main thesis.
The three main chapters are divided as follows: (i) fundamentals (ii) hardware & applications (iii) toolkit.
Subsections of these include “binary and ternary operators”, “bloch’s sphere”, “quantum walks”, “networks of tensors”, “the dot product” and “basic set theory” are well explained. like the other books in the space, it has a lot of math, but it focuses on how quality control can be applied in today’s business world, which may appeal to readers with a business bent. this should have been expected from someone with as savvy an entrepreneurial spirit as hidary. this book, then, makes a good accompaniment to the other quantum computing book releases on the market.
For freshmen excited for the next tide of qc, this is essential reading. For the college senior majoring in quantum physics with an internship at IBM or Honeywell next summer, it’s also a great option.
4. quantum computing since democritus (cambridge university press) 2013
We hit the old school with our next book on quantum computing. 2013 is an era ago in terms of how qc has developed. At the time, the landscape was pretty empty: startups like d-wave systems, 1qbit lasers, and square meters were dominating when it came to startups. IBM and a few others represented the big fish.
if anyone deserves the epithet of a ‘quantum guru’ these days, in terms of academic credentials, social media clout, and just the way he delivers the message of quantum information science — it has to be scott Aaronson, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a former MIT faculty member. He is also the founding director of UT Austin’s new Quantum Information Center.
But his industry recognition doesn’t stop there: his popular blog, optimized for shtetl, is gaining readers daily and is sure to be one of the go-to sources for all things quantum for years to come.
So it’s on the wave of this acclaim that we arrive at Aaronson’s book Quantum Computing Since Democritus, at 404 pages one of the longest publications on the list.
The book is divided into twenty-two chapters, each written in prose that is a joy to read, even conversationally. for many, especially with a dry scientific bias, this could be daunting. Not for this reader though. he reminded me of the rhythm of a feynman lecture: a witty vision with a clowny undertone. one thing I especially enjoyed about it were the chapter titles, from chapter one “atoms and the void”, the “pale complexity” of chapter five, the “fun with the anthropic principle” of chapter eighteen to chapter twenty-two” ask me anything”. it shows that the author has a sense of humor, as well as a first-class scientific mind.
‘the book is [also] too broad, playful and idiosyncratic to be used as a textbook or reference work. Sure, it has theorems, proofs, and exercises, and it covers the basics of a staggering number of fields: logic, set-theoretic computability, complexity, cryptography, quantum information, and computational learning theory, among others…’
— scott aaronson, preface to quantum computing since democritus
although lacking in illustrations, aaronson’s unique ability to explain difficult concepts in quality control is a delight. this is one of the few quantum computing books you should read no matter how long you have an interest in quality control.
The first few chapters of the book are devoted to logic, with a focus on Turing’s legacy, Kurt Gödel’s completeness and incompleteness theorems, and all those other fundamental principles that any self-respecting computer science student needs to know.
It is only later, more than a quarter of the way through the book in the “quantum” chapter, “quantum” that gets a mention. this might be disappointing to those expecting it from page one, but when it arrives, there’s no disappointment.
The usual suspects in quantum theory are mentioned: hidden variables, decoherence, entanglement, and even Hugh Everett III’s incredible many worlds/multiverses theory is given a twist. Stochastic proofs, the intricacies of quantum algorithms, and some diversions from philosophy and cosmology in the later chapters give you the feeling that Aaronson wants to leave no stone unturned.
or if that’s not the case, it’s just his excuse to introduce the power of his intellect to the reader.
To summarize, then, an excellent book. Lots of computational complexity theory and mathematics to deal with, and not for the average citizen, but if you want to further your QA knowledge while gaining an understanding of other related fields, quantum computing since democritus is a great starting point .
5. quantum computing for babies (baby university) 2018
the following is only on my intellectual level. written by award-winning physicist and senior lecturer in quantum software and information at sydney university of technology, chris ferrie — in collaboration with that qc evangelist and entrepreneur william ‘whurley’ hurley — the board book quantum computing for babies is a tour de force of simplicity explaining complexity. Part of a series of educational science books by the author including Quantum Physics for Babies and Astrophysics for Babies, as in the title, it is written for infants/toddlers or those adults so intellectually handicapped that they can’t tell an atom from their butt.
Jokes aside, though, the short book gives a great summary of what QC is, describing in simple sentences with the help of colourful diagrams the difference between bytes and qubits. For young children, it’s a must.
disclaimer:
by the end of the book, while “grown-ups” won’t be able to solve “the traveling salesman problem” any time soon, they will have a fundamental understanding of what qc is. a truly educational book and an essential purchase for any parent who wants their offspring to get a head start on major topics.
6. quantum computing for beginners: a complete guide for beginners that explains in an easy way the history, characteristics, developments and applications of the new quantum computers that will revolutionize the world (self-published) 2020
Simon Edwards’ Quantum Computing for Beginners: A Complete Beginner’s Guide Explaining in a Simple Way the History, Characteristics, Developments, and Applications of the New Quantum Computers Set to Revolutionize the World was published in January this year. long on title but short on content, at 165 pages, it’s a slim job compared to others on the list.
Now, before getting into the bones of the book, one needs to detail — as I have done with all other quantum computing books so far — some biographical information about the author, Simon Edwards.
Unfortunately, there are none. neither in the credentials of the editor nor the author.
no trace.
he seems to be the thomas pynchon of the qc world. I assumed that before I bought the “free” copy on kindle unlimited it was a self-publishing effort. that doesn’t usually discourage me, especially with literature. I’m a partially self-published author myself and have benefited a lot in the past (although not so much anymore). however, when it comes to science books, my skepticism kicks in.
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Academicians and popular scientists often go through the well-trodden channels of university presses or one of the Big Five of Hachette, Harpercollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, or Simon & schuster.
quality control is essential.
but I was willing to give it a try, because, well, why not?
and it was free.
edwards book is divided into fourteen chapters, many of them posed as questions:
- what is quantum computing?
- are quantum computers a reality or just a dream of a scientist?
- why quantum computing?
- how will quantum computers work?
blah blah blah.
The book, considering it’s probably a do-it-yourself affair, isn’t a bad attempt at dissecting some of the more difficult problems in quality control.
While not on par with the other quantum computing books (for obvious reasons), there is a clarity to the simplicity of presentation that is missing from the scholarly books I have featured.
On a negative note, some typos and grammatical errors make for a clumsy reading experience at times, but he who is without sin should read John 8:7 for some enlightenment.
7. quantum computer programming: essential algorithms and code (o′reilly) 2019
Co-written by Eric Johnston, Nic Harrigan, and Mercedes Gimeno-Segovia, Quantum Computer Programming: Essential Algorithms and Code Samples gives you all the knowledge you need to program a quantum computer. At three hundred pages, it’s a well-detailed publication that gives you the ins and outs of programming a quantum computer.
Authors credentials are strong and give weight to the book:
eric johnston is a code optimization specialist. as for education, he has a b.s. in electrical and computer engineering from u.c. berkeley.
nic harrigan, for his part, has more than ten years of experience in the field of scientific communication.
mercedes gimeno-segovia, the designated “quantum brain” of the book, is a quantum physicist whose focus is the next generation of quantum technologies. he got his Ph.D. from imperial college london.
This diverse editorial team, with their unique skill set, has the needs of the intermediate programmer in mind by doing a great job of explaining some of the key concepts of the topic in a clear and accessible way. Since I’m not a computer programmer or quantum physicist by profession, some of the more difficult concepts were difficult to follow without reading some passages multiple times.
‘the heart of this book focuses on building an intuition for a set of quantum primitives — ideas that form a toolbox of building blocks for solving problems with a qpu.’
— Quantum computer programming: essential code and algorithms
The book is divided into three parts:
part 1: programming a qpu
part 2: qpu primitives
part 3: qpu applications
graphic designer rebecca demarest provides the professional illustrations and diagrams throughout the book, each visually detailing the scientific hypothesis the authors are trying to convey.
to be honest, as long as you have an iq of over 110, understand boolean algebra and gates and other ‘entry level’ stuff, you should be well on your way as a high level and prior knowledge of quantum physics. theoretical level of mathematics is not essential.
I recommend quantum computer programming for computer science majors who want to explore QA programming as a potential next step in their careers. in that regard, there are few better quantum computing books on the market.
read more:
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I really enjoyed it, although sometimes it was difficult to follow much of what was going on. quite a few weeks of hard work, made possible by the covid-19 lockdown and my insatiable desire to learn more about quantum computers and how they work.
As we move into the third decade of the 21st century, tqd is confident that qc will play an increasingly important role in the technology landscape. And as it does, and as more people are qualified to talk about space, more books on quantum computing will be published: on the history of quality control, on coding, on the hardware side, and how the science of Quantum information can work with businesses to optimize spheres such as the financial, logistics, and pharmaceutical industries.
note: two more great books on space, programming the universe by seth lloyd and quantum computers by jon schiller are covered in a post here of quantum multiverses. please feel free to take a look!
summary of tqi
We have come to the end of our journey through the exciting world of quantum computing books. In short, quantum computing books are gaining much more in their expertise and relevance and are becoming the perfect way to learn about quantum computing today.
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