Quantum Computing and Information: Editorial Reviews

Quantum Computing is definitely going to impact our future lives. This book adheres to a pedagogical methodology that balances theoretical rigor with accessibility. The scaffolding approach that the authors use guides the reader through the learning journey. This makes the book not only academically rigorous but also effective as a teaching tool.

This impressive book covers the burgeoning field of quantum information, bridging the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and its present and future applications in secure communication and quantum computing. The author’s approach is rigorous—including all the necessary linear algebra—while the book is highly readable and accessible. It will benefit a wide range of audiences with different backgrounds, from undergraduate students learning quantum mechanics to experts who want a deep understanding of quantum information protocols.

This textbook is elegantly crafted, utilizing a unique scaffolding approach to render complex topics in quantum computing easily comprehensible for newcomers to the field. It is invaluable for both educators and students of quantum computing. The authors employ a lucid and engaging style, ensuring that difficult material remains accessible. Their original illustrations and tables, designed to complement the text, enhance comprehension. In addition, the book provides both concise and detailed examples, helping entry-level students grasp fundamental concepts. A thoughtful balance between straightforward exercises and broader integrative problems is maintained throughout.

This text presents Quantum Computing and Information in a measured format. The reader is exposed to concepts, notation, and calculations in qubit-sized pieces, that are further described in later parts of the text in evolving detail. This scaffolding approach does not demand full comprehension of one topic before going on to the next. Each iteration reviews and adds to the previous. Reading this from a teaching perspective, I found insights about how I can improve my course for mid-career professionals wanting to pivot to a career in quantum information science. I also find this text a useful quick teaching reference to target specific topics with helpful graphics and tables. I highly recommend this text for those teaching first-time quantum students.

Clarity in content, clarity in style. That perfectly sums up this new, soon-to-be classic, textbook on quantum computing. From the basic postulates, to single- and multi-qubits, gates, circuits, and foundational and modern algorithms, this book is your one-stop-shop for all things quantum. The writing is clear, the mathematics elegant, and the presentation is beautiful. As you read, it is obvious the author’s had you and your comprehension in mind, providing a scaffold, or support, for building your quantum computing knowledge. Highly recommended!

While many books have been written about quantum computing, this text by Lee et al. offers a refreshing perspective. Most other comparable books require the reader to be mathematically mature, for example a physics graduate student. In contrast, this text is designed to be approachable. The scaffolding pedagogical theories that the authors draw from put the student at the center of the learning process. Each layer of material is presented only after previous layers have been mastered. To help convey the material, numerous examples that clarify tricky parts have been provided.

It may sound like this book is only for beginners, yet I was impressed by the latter chapters on quantum error correction and quantum information. These segments rely on somewhat abstract ideas, and the authors managed to convey them with a soft touch. Quantum computing and information has been transitioning from an advanced graduate topic to undergraduate courses, and many students will find this book an invaluable resource.

This book offers a structured and intuitive introduction to quantum mechanics, computation, and information theory. Its distinctive feature is the scaffolding approach: a progressive path that guides readers step by step from fundamental principles toward more advanced topics. This approach breaks down complex concepts, making them accessible to students, self-learners, and professionals transitioning into the field. The 2nd edition expands on quantum error correction, post-quantum cryptography, and recent algorithmic advances. It also refines explanations, introduces new exercises, and incorporates updated examples, making it more informative, structured, and engaging.

This comprehensive and eminently readable, timely and sumptuously illustrated book is a tour-de-force through the world of quantum computing and information (QCI). It takes readers on a vivid and accessible journey from the foundations of quantum computing using photons, all the way to quantum algorithms and error correction by way of quantum gates, circuits, superposition, entanglement, and all points in between. It is rare to find a book that speaks so directly to the experience of the reader as they tackle new concepts and techniques, and this is another of its excellent qualities.

This book is structured to introduce students from many different technical interests to quantum information science. The careful computational and conceptual development at the beginning of the book is oriented toward students at the freshman or sophomore levels who have the appropriate mathematical background in algebra and linear algebra. Unfortunately, many students who could benefit from this do not yet have the needed training in linear algebra.

The next part of the book, on quantum entanglement and Bell inequalities, offers a superb historical orientation to how quantum information science became influential by about 2000. It provides a strong culmination for a sophomore-level course based on this text.

The final section explores quantum information science as it existed in 2022–2024 with many openings for research and exploratory student projects. This makes the book attractive for upper-division undergraduate courses and also for first-year graduate students. Overall, it is a very important text: well-written, timely, and highly recommended. The field of quantum information science is likely to increase in importance in the next ten years.