Rating: 
Summary: For those who learn by example - not a quick reference!
Review: There are times when a comprehensive list of properities simply isn't enough. At times like these, when my problem is CSS related, I reach for this book. This is one of those books you will need to get a more in-depth knowledge of CSS. It goes through the very basics of style sheets, to make sure that you not only know how to use them, but also that you know how they work!This is a great book for those that learn by example, as there are plenty to go around. There is something about this book that makes it's approach to learning by example that little bit different, as it provides the basis to allow you to test out what you've learnt from early on. Another nice feature is the case study that converts a HTML only page into one that uses CSS. For those of you who are struggling to get a browser to behave with a particular style sheet, then this book has some real gems to help make your pages more consistent amongst browsers. The problem is finding them! They are scattered throughout the book and I sometimes get the feeling they were added merely as necessary afterthoughts. Perhaps the next edition would benefit from a section devoted to gathering these tips into a chapter devoted to browser inconsistencies... that is, if they are still a problem at the time the next edition is printed. As with all reference books, they tend to age. Cascading Style Sheets covers very little of the new CSS2 selectors and properties, which I'm sure will be covered in much better detail in subsquent versions of the book. While it may not be as complete as it could be, it is the book I recommend to those wanting to learn more about the basics of CSS.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent, Comprehensive Guide to CSS1
Review: Most people who have happened to work on web pages know something about stylesheets--yet very few actually know how to properly take full advantage of their features even at the "level 1" standard fairly well supported by most web browsers today. If you've struggled to make a web page look like you want it, resorting to multipe FONT tags, tables, and formatting tags, then you need this book. If you've written a stylesheet or two but find yourself creating and applying styles to the point it seems more trouble than it's worth, this book is for you. From what I learned, I cut both the size of stylesheets and web pages for a number of both personal and company web pages--at times by more than a half--simply through a better understanding of the workings of stylesheets. Beginning with the basics of what stylesheets actually are and building upon that basis with concepts like cascading, selectors, elements and pseudo-elements, the book will give readers an understanding of CSS difficult to appreciate merely through reading over other people's web pages or through trial and error. An exhaustive treatment of each sort of style--from fonts to inline elements to boxes--follows and covers nearly everything one could want to know about CSS1. That said, the book could use an update as since 2000 the browser wars have evolved as has the application of CSS2, which is only touched upon by the book. However, unless you are already a pro at styles, you'll likely find this an invaluable reference, much as any title in the O'Reilly series.
Rating:
Summary: Latest version is now out (Mar, 2004)
Review: Make sure you get the latest version (ISBN#: 0-596-00525-3) which was released in March of 2004. Some other reviews discuss the fact that this book is out of date. It WAS, but not any more. Definitely look into this book as your reference for the latest in Cascading Style Sheets by THE guru of CSS.
Rating:
Summary: A One Stop Information Shop
Review: As someone who has never using Cascading Style Sheets in the past, I never realized just how much work this language could save me. I am still amazed at the fact that I can control every aspect of an entire webpage regardless of size by editing various components of the style sheet file. Never before have my website been as error-free and consistent as they are now. Using CSS2, I was able to ensure that each element of my sites is consistent and correctly displayed on almost all web browsers. I no longer spend hours each month chasing down what I used to call "code flaws" that would cause a section of the page to be improperly displayed in various browsers. Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide is an excellent resource for anyone who wishes to learn to utilize this time-saving language to automate and centralize the task of website maintenance. Written with a very straight-forward, no-bull approach - I found this book to be a very easy read. The examples provided along the way connected the dots and the appendixes were extremely helpful as a syntax reference. The book is easy to understand even for someone who is not an expert and takes the user from knowing nothing to mastery in just a few short hours. In less than two hours, I had created a basic style sheet that effectively managed the formatting of my website and put me back in control. Over the next 20 to 30 hours, I had tweaked the style sheet to control every aspect of every page of the entire site and rolled the feature out across the entire site - which consists of more than 2500 separate HTML files or fragment files. I now estimate that I have 10 additional hours every week to focus on my business and not tweaking my website constantly.
Rating:
Summary: THE book for CSS
Review: Anyone wanting to incorporate Cascading Style Sheets into their web pages should definitely read this book. It offers a very comprehensive study of all of CSS/1 and CSS positioning, as well as a fascinating look at some CSS/2 features (which of course no browers support yet). Browser compatibility problems are clearly identified for all properties. The explanations are detailed and easy to follow. This book would serve both a CSS novice as an introductory text, or an experienced professional as a reference book. I would recommend this book as one of those "must-haves" that every web designer should have in his or her collection.
Rating: 
Summary: Great depth, poor editing
Review: No doubt about it, Eric Meyer knows CSS inside and out! This book should be a fantastic reference for people who really want to explore the power of CSS. Unfortunately the editing is so poor in many areas that you have to work through examples on your computer to see the effects being described. Screen shots are used to illustrate coding examples, but details which would help the reader interpret the picture are often left out. For example, when looking at an explanation of overlapping elements, you may be left to figure out whether a space between two lines of text is 20 pixels or 30 pixels wide when there is no reference of scale in the picture. You have to guess or try it out yourself. When a series of examples are used to illustrate a concept, there is a lack of consistency in the example code. Instead of only changing the one element or parameter being discussed, a similar, but different, example is used so you can't simply look at two successive illustrations to see the effect of the change. In a few cases, whole lines of example code are missing. Probably lost in the shuffle while moving Figures and blocks of text to get the page layout right. That said, there is a wealth of information here if you are willing to work a little to get it. I would still highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to seriously dive into CSS -- but if all you are looking for is an introduction or a basic reference, there are probably less frustrating sources out there.
Rating: 
Summary: sloppy, useless, incomplete, redundant, conflicting
Review: Working my way through this book, I found that on almost every page I would be scribbling remarks about sloppy, useless, incomplete, redundant, sometimes even conflicting pieces of text. Admitted, there is a lot of information in this book, but there is a great deal missing as well. When describing some CSS feature, usually first a brief (incomplete) definition is given, and then the feature is further explained by giving examples. Working your way through the examples, and combining remarks spread out over several pages, you usually find that not all aspects of the feature are covered. You'll still need to consult the specification at www.w3.org . And that spec comes with better examples, as well. Save your money, buy some other book.
Rating:
Summary: A solid reference manual...
Review: Target Audience
Web developers who need a comprehensive guide on the use of CSS1 and CSS2 technology. Contents
This book is an extensive guide on cascading style sheet technology, specifically the CSS1 and CSS2 specifications. The book is divided into the following chapters: CSS and Documents; Selectors; Structure and the Cascade; Values and Units; Fonts; Text Properties; Basic Visual Formatting; Padding, Borders, and Margins; Colors and Backgrounds; Floating and Positioning; Table Layout; Lists and Generated Content; User Interface Styles; Non-Screen Media; Property Reference; Selector, Pseudo-Class, and Pseudo-Element Reference; Sample HTML 4 Style Sheet; Index Review
Most of my development work is not concentrated on the user interface. To date, I've been able to live with just a minimal amount of HTML and JavaScript knowledge. But more and more I'm being drawn into web design work, and CSS is playing a significant part in that. In order to have the information I need to do my job, I got a copy of this book and I'm glad I did. Meyer does a nice job in balancing the material between code examples, reference to cover all the parameters, and example output to show what the code will do. I think the last part is very important, as it allows you to visualize the type of effects a certain command will have, and from there you can start to apply it to your own web site. I am undecided as to whether this would make a good first tutorial for someone just learning CSS. For me, it's a better reference guide once you have some basic CSS understanding. There is one formatting decision that the author made in the second edition that some might find irritating. He decided that to keep the book from growing too large, the information about which browsers support which features would be dropped from the print version. You can get that information from the online web site, so it's not like you're left in the cold. But if that information is important to you and you want one-stop reading, this book might not be what you want. Conclusion
A solid reference manual on CSS that you will use for coding examples, parameter reference, and visual examples of the effects you can obtain.
Rating:
Summary: 2nd Edition, March 2004. Stay away from it!
Review: It's the last O'Reilly book I get!
This "guide" does not mention what elements are supported by what browsers. Doesn't even mention what is part of the CSS1 or CSS2 standards! (it only mentions these items sometimes within the text, but nowhere else, not even in the pourly formatted reference at the end of the book).
It does a good job detailing how to use the elements but that's about it.
I think that Thomas Powell's "HTML & XHTML, The Complete Reference" does a excellent job explaining CSS and certainly has a better CSS reference in the 2 chapters dedicated to CSS (it's an XHTML book after all, so don't get it if all you need is CSS). I have not checked other books written by Meyer but this 2nd edition is not a "Definite Guide"!
Check your bookstore and do a good comparison before spending money on this book!
Rating: 
Summary: completely useless
Review: i work as a programmer and occasionally have to get my hands into the design aspect of things, usually cleaning up templates designers have made in some crap gui tool. i understand the basics of css already, i just needed something to outline the syntax and concepts in css2 and then just function as a reference. this book did neither, and i've found it to be a complete waste.
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