Exploratory Data Analysis With MATLAB®

multivariate analysis. Network analysis is a very hot topic these days, with the interest in various types of link analysis and the purported applications to fraud detection and counterterrorism. The chapter on network analysis is one of the shortest, which is a shame since it is an area in which asymmetric data are ubiquitous. Of course, page constraints will always force these types of choices on authors. The book covers many different models, and one criticism is that there is little discussion of how one chooses the model appropriate to the data. Partly this is the nature of the beast; model selection is difficult and often guided by heuristics or personal preference. By covering the many different models that have been developed in the literature, the book provides an entry into the literature and an illustration of the various methodologies that have been developed. This is the first book I have seen that focuses on this important area, and it is a good introduction to the topic. The mathematics is accessible at an undergraduate level, requiring little more than a good grasp of linear algebra and statistics. The topic is extremely timely, and I predict that there will be more books on the topic, both general treatises like this one, and ones specializing in a particular aspect of asymmetric data analysis. The authors have done a service to the statistical community by leading the way with this interesting and useful book.