[saboot]

Pattern recognition and machine learning by Bishop is one of the canonical text books. It helps to have a linear algebra background, it includes a refresher though

[tnecniv]

Bishop is good but reads a little too much like a literature review sometimes. That may or may not be a problem depending on what you are looking for.

[victor106]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions...will check these books out

[capkutay]

How does that compare to Andrew Ng's course?