Book Excerpts:

TeX, a software system created by Donald E. Knuth, sets the standard for typesetting in mathematics, science, and engineering. TeX for the Impatient is a handbook that arose from the need to help technical writers learn TeX more quickly -- and once having learned it, to find fast answers to common questions. Clear, concise, and accessible, this book is organized for easy retrieval of information, thoroughly indexed, and carefully designed for learning by example.

Paul Abrahams, the senior author, approached this handbook as someone who had just learned TeX. "What kind of book," he asked himself, "would have made it easier for me to learn TeX? What kind of book would I need now, as a more experienced user, to locate commands or functions that I never learned or only half remember?" With coauthors Hargreaves and Berry contributing their technical and typographical expertise, he has written a book packed with concise instructions, useful tips and techniques, and a wealth of lightly humorous yet illuminating examples.

Book Features:

- Complete descriptions of TeX commands, arranged for lookup either by function or alphabetically

- Clear definitions of essential TeX concepts, collected in a separate chapter so that the command descriptions remain brief and accessible

- Explanations of common error messages and advice on solving problems that frequently arise

- A collection of useful macros (also available in electronic form)

TeX for the Impatient addresses the practical demands of busy people who have discovered the unmatched benefits of TeX, but whose time and interest in mastering all of its intricacies may be limited -- or indeed of anyone, even an expert, who need a quick reference guide to TeX.