"Global illumination is all about generating paths connecting a virtual camera with a light source." "Global" in this sense refers to the fact that an object's appearance depends on the light it receives from all other objects. In this update of the 2003 edition, Dutré (computer science, Katholieke U. Leuven, Belgium) and other key players in revolutionizing the field further illuminate the theoretical basis of algorithms for realistic image synthesis. The volume includes new/expanded material on human perception and environment map sampling, chapter exercises, color plates, technical appendices (including a library of software classes for generating such paths), and 230 references. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)