I also recommend the Algorithm Design Manual. In my algs class in school, we used Cormen's Introduction to Algorithms (of course), which is considered to be seminal in the field, but that's a bit of a bear to get through.
Alg Design Manual is great and gives shorter shrift to complexity notation and the math behind it, while still giving you a robust introduction to it. Also, it's not as long as it appears as much of the book is devoted to going through specific algorithms so you can be familiar and add them to your mental "tool kit."
OK. I am looking forward for Algorithm Design Manual.
When I was taking analysis and design of algorithm class in my school, my lecturer used CLRS book as the main book. I think that book is so hard to learn. Some parts in the book is easy to understand, some other part is not.
Alg Design Manual is great and gives shorter shrift to complexity notation and the math behind it, while still giving you a robust introduction to it. Also, it's not as long as it appears as much of the book is devoted to going through specific algorithms so you can be familiar and add them to your mental "tool kit."