Graph Theory As I Have Known It (Oxford Lecture Series in Mathematics and Its Applications)

Graph Theory as I Have Known It provides a unique introduction to graph theory by one of the founding fathers, and will appeal to anyone interested in the subject. It is not intended as a comprehensive treatise, but rather as an account of those parts of the theory that have been of special interest to the author. Professor Tutte details his experience in the area, and provides a fascinating insight into how he was led to his theorems and the proofs he used. As well as being of historical interest it provides a useful starting point for research, with references to further suggested books as well as the original papers.

The book starts by detailing the first problems worked on by Professor Tutte and his colleagues during his days as an undergraduate member of the Trinity Mathematical Society in Cambridge. It covers subjects such as combinatorial problems in chess, the algebraicization of graph theory, reconstruction of graphs, and the chromatic eigenvalues. In each case fascinating historical and biographical information about the author's research is provided.

William Tutte (1917-2002) studied at Cambridge where his fascination for mathematical puzzles brought him into contact with like-minded undergraduates, together becoming known as the 'Trinity four', the founders of modern graph theory. His notable problem-solving skills meant he was brought to Bletchley Park during World War Two. Key in the enemy codebreaking efforts, he cracked the Lorenz cipher for which the Colossus machine was built, making his contribution comparable to Alan Turing's codebreaking for Enigma. Following his incredible war effort Tutte returned to academia and became a fellow of the Royal Society in Britain and Canada, finishing his career as Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Waterloo, Ontario.