Which textbooks (not study guides) to buy?

[Pachoo]

I was wondering which textbooks from the CAS Exam 3 syllabus people have found useful for studying with. It seems to me that the following 3 are pretty important:

1. Bowers, N.L.; Gerber, H.U.; Hickman, J.C.; Jones, D.A.; and Nesbitt, C.J., Actuarial Mathematics (Second Edition), 1997, Society of Actuaries.

2. Klugman, S.A.; Panjer, H.H.; and Willmot, G.E., Loss Models: From Data to Decisions (Second Edition), 2004, John Wiley and Sons, New York

3. Ross, S.M., Introduction to Probability Models (Eighth Edition), 2003, Academic Press, San Diego

For stats, there are many textbooks listed to cover the material. The one I am thinking of ordering is:

Hogg, R.V.; Craig, A.T.; and McKean, J.W., Introduction to Mathematical Statistics (Sixth Edition), 2004, Prentice Hall.

Now, in terms of study guides, I will be attending the NEAS Seminar for CAS 3 so I will be getting Mahler's study notes. I also plan to buy Arch-3 as well as Batten's new guide to Life Con.

Do you think it would be worth it to get a textbook on stats or does Mahler cover the material well enough in his guides for this area?

Also, are any of you planning to not look at the textbooks at all and soley rely on study guides for the material?

[JohnGalt]

I think you can get by without the other two textbooks, but I'd definately buy Loss Models. I think Probability Models is a great book, but it may not be worth it since only one chapter is on the syllabus, and the material from it is pretty easy, IMO.

For statistics, I just bought an older edition of Freund's book. Looking back, I probably would have been better off just studying from the review of mathematical statistics in Loss Models.

John

[Pachoo]

Thanks for the advice. I think I am going to wait to get Mahler's guides, Arch-3, and Batten's new book and then fill in with textbooks when needed. I actually already have the Loss Models book and agree that it is a very good text.