BOOK REVIEWS

Reliability theory is an attractive subject. It is more nearly an application of probability theory than any other single thing. Many of its results are unexpected and interesting and much of the theory requires only modest mathematics. It is surprising, then, that this seems to be the first textbook devoted to reliability theory. But, on the other hand, this fact makes this good book all the more welcome. Clearly, reliability theory is an engineer's subject and Professor Shooman has addressed this book to the needs of engineers. Still, most quantitative analysts will be able to negotiate the majority of the book.