Rating: 
Summary: Small, but packed tightly
Review: An excellent preface for a serious study. I fell back into this book after finding a more advanced publication impossible to fathom. Mr. Fowler gave me a much better idea of the basic concepts, but I found after finishing I could not produce any usable diagrams. Many of the concepts were set down once and abandoned.
Rating: 
Summary: A classic
Review: If you have OO experience and want to learn UML and the methods of using it, this should be the first book that you buy. The author combines explanation of the basic features of UML with the insights on how to use them, based on his experience. Going on the 80/20 rule, this books is the 20% of UML knowledge that will be used 80% of the time, especially on small-medium projects. (You will eventually need to buy another book for detailed reference).It's rare that you can get a fairly detailed but still easily digestable overview of a field like this while learning techniques you can use, so don't miss the chance.
Rating:
Summary: Concise but complete treatment of UML
Review: This is the best book I have read on UML. It is"distilled" as the title suggests, but it covers most ofwhat I wanted. The book explains how to create the different UML diagrams and explains how they are used at different stages of the project. I especially liked how the book includes examples of all the diagrams on the inside cover of the book. I come back to these examples again and again. Like the formulas on the inside cover of your physics book or the periodic table in your chemistry textbook, these diagrams are the core of the UML and the author wisely organized them. There is also a lot of good practical advice in the book. For example, the author explains that UML is meant to be an aid to system architecting and communication where necessary and that diagrams are not required of all parts of the system, just those that need explaining. Good point. There are many examples of such advice covering the different diagrams. There is also introduction to important concepts such as refractoring and designing classes by responsabilities. Finally, this book is also the top recommened book for the Object-Oriented Analysis and Design certification offered by IBM... I ended up buying the book Applying Use Cases to get a deeper understanding of use cases than this book provided, and you may have some questions about how to transition your diagrams through each of the phases of software development, but this book is the place to start. Well worth the money.
Rating: 
Summary: Good intro to UML
Review: This thin book is a good introduction to UML. If one wants that, then it's 5 stars. But destilled could also mean "only the essence" so that it could be used as a reference, but this is not the case here. I recommend the three books from the gurus Booch, Jacobson, Rambaugh. Then one is at the source of UML.
Rating:
Summary: Excelent book, but not for OO beginners
Review: This book is probably best served as a quick tour or "best of" UML for someone already versed in OOAD concepts. It introduces each major topic, establishes clear definitions and examples, and incorporates the author's personal experiences. To this end, it is concise and effective. However, it is not well suited for people trying to get up to speed with both OO and UML concepts, (which is my situation). I found "Fundamentals of Object-Oriented Design in UML" (Page-Jones) as a much more effective introduction OO and UML. As I become more educated on the topic, I find myself reaching for Distilled more and more. It's great as a quick reference to clear up concepts. I think this book is a must-have for any UML user, but should not be your first experience with OOAD.
Rating:
Summary: OO Developer & mentor
Review: The base of my Analysis and Design lecture. Intelligent discussion of the 10% of UML that will really prove useful for your OO software development. Well-chosen pointers to other essential techniques. All of this in such a small book... Thank you!
Rating:
Summary: Very good overview of UML
Review: Vey concise and clear book
Rating:
Summary: Excellent overview of UML
Review: This is an excellent book for learning the essential concepts of UML. It will not teach you every single detail of UML or system design. But, it will give you everything you need to get going. I would recommend this as a first book for anybody studying UML who already has some object oriented experience. Then, as you spend more time with OO design, you may want more detailed books.
Rating: 
Summary: This is the most boring book ever......
Review: This has to be the WORST book I have ever had the HOROR of reading. Not only was it dreadfully BORING but it is also poorly constructed. The only reason I give UML Distilled 1 star is because ot put me to sleep each and EVERY night I read it for my Systems Alalysis and design course. SAVE YOUR MONEY!
Rating:
Summary: Great if you know OO
Review: This book is a really great introduction to UML if you already know some object oriented design (OOD). If you have some experience in object oriented programming (C++, Java, Smalltalk) or have some experience with other OO design notations like OMT or Booch, then you will truly appreciate this book. The information is densely packed. The book provides an enjoyable quick tour of a reasonable complete UML notation. The style of writing is informal and easy to read. This is a book that can be read from cover to cover in one day without getting exhausted. This book is not an introductory book to object orientation (OO). If you haven't programmed in (object oriented) C++, Java or Smalltalk, then you should look for another book. The book is also a great "quick" reference to UML. The text is organized so that it is easy to find any of the described topics. But, the book is not an exhaustive reference manual. There are quite a few details missing. The price of the book is hight considering the low page count. On the other hand, it is worth much to have a book were you can find the information you need fast.
| 
