Matti Nelimarkka’s Coding Social Science is ambitious and wide-ranging. It is among the first to provide a detailed exposition of what it means for a social scientist to think computationally. The wealth of applied examples it unpacks is at once a rich resource and testament to the diversity of this field. Nelimarkka also helps to organise our thinking when it comes to what this field actually is through his attention to the conceptual underpinnings of computational inquiry. Most impressively, the book provides solutions to programmatic problems across three languages—a gift for any instructor trying to demystify coding for the budding computational social scientist. 

A comprehensive and practical reference for social scientists who want to go computational, with many whats and hows, without forgetting the nots – a book to read, to think, and to use!