This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the capabilities of Java within MATLAB, a unique resource for individuals like me who use MATLAB routinely as a purely computational tool, in teaching or research, but are still tied to this software’s original interface. As the title suggests, while Java is available in MATLAB, it is primarily unsupported and therefore undocumented. The author correctly points out that no prior knowledge of Java is necessary (I had no experience with Java before picking up this book), and proceeds in its first few pages to help the reader navigate through some of Java’s basic features. The first chapter, as is the case with all chapters in the book, contains over 100 references, which consist of Web sites with tutorials, online books, blogs, and other additional resources--a testimony to a remarkably rich and dedicated user community.

In the few weeks that I have been reviewing this book, I have experimented with some of the utilities and examples provided, but by no means have I even scratched the surface of what using Java could mean to how I use MATLAB today. While there are plenty of examples in each chapter, because the book’s intention is to provide a complete resource, it is not written as a textbook; hence, it requires a substantial commitment of time on the part of the reader, especially for browsing the numerous Web sites cited to find the right venue for the right utility one may desire. I predict, however, that this book will become a standard resource for many centers, especially those in image processing and data analysis, where a group of resident graduate students and post-doctoral fellows have the adequate time to pore over the wealth of information in it and make MATLAB even more powerful for their purposes.