Mitchell starts by introducing some of the areas related to complexity theory, inlcuding information theory, computer science, thermodynamics, evolution and genetics. She continues by explaining some of the work she has done in the subject on genetic algorithms and an AI program 'copycat'. There are also chapters looking at Kaufmann's ideas on self organisation, at the behaviour of the immune system and at the science of networks. The book concludes with a discussion of the problems which complexity theory has faced, and where it might be going in the future.

The book is easy to read, but I felt that the structure left something to be desired. The first few chapters seemed to spent introducing a wide range of topics before getting on to complexity theory itself. There's a lot crammed into a small space, and I thought the book could be better split into two different works. The first would be an overview of complexity science (although there are already plenty of those). The second would be a more autobiographical work, introducing the things that Mitchell herself has worked on - I felt that these were the most interesting parts of this book."; include "amazinf.php"; ?>