Rating: 
Summary: Can be useful, but mainly about web PAGE design
Review: Maybe it's because I'm primarily a web software developer and not a graphic artist, but I just can't empathise with a lot of the glowing reviews for this book.I bought this as a companion to the excellent "Webmaster in a Nutshell", but was somewhat disappointed. It seems at first glance to be packed with useful stuff, but the core of day-to-day material on HTML, JavaScript, SSI, CSS and so on is virtually the same as in "Webmaster in a Nutshell", and the rest is mostly hand-waving introductions to topics such as streaming audio and video on the web or, strangely, an Adobe Photoshop tutorial. Even stranger, the one topic it doesn't seem to cover is web design (as I understand the term). There's nothing about how to create interesting, useful, impressive or "sticky" sites, and precious little about page layout, navigation or information architecture. My recommendation would have to be to think about this book if you want some the tools to pretty-up a page or two, but buy "Webmaster in a Nutshell" for the nuts and bolts, and then look for a decent "web design" book which is actually about web design rather than just web page construction.
Rating: 
Summary: Simply the best
Review: Where I'm coming from:
I am a producer at a media firm. This book is in constant use as I shuffle the day with deadlines and complications. This book gets me through, solves and answers my tough questions and presents easy to follow solutions. This book makes my job easier
Why I like it:
Easy to use, great tab set-up and clear language. The book is arranged so you do not need an atlas, just short, simple searches. A true gem of clarity!
Why I am suggesting "Nutshell":
I have tried other books which now sit dormant with clean spines and trophy dust collections. Don't waste your money, go straight for Jennifer Niederst's fine accomplishment.
Rating:
Summary: First edition was great!
Review: I am buying the second ed. because the first was terrific! For an html newbie, I was able to create a working web site with this book. Excellent organization, great examples, and I really like the way she explained the problems one faces with various codes, approaches, and how to avoid or overcome them. I'd say this is one of the best technical books I've ever read. Harry
Rating:
Summary: Great for CSS reference
Review: Could be more comprehensive, but I guess I should have bought a CSS book for that!! Overall, it's a great reference to have for the kind of person that does programming and design of websites.
Rating:
Summary: My web design bible
Review: I got the first edition of this book not long after it came out, around the time when I was still new to building web sites. I was shopping in my University bookstore when I decided I wanted to get a few reference books for my web design hobby. There was a wide range available, but I was looking for a small handful of books to use as a reference for whenever I got stuck. When I spotted Web Design in a Nutshell I knew I had found exactly what I was looking for. It covered the topics I needed in just the right amount of detail, not too technical but not patronising either. Needless to say, I only did buy the one book that day, it was the best £15 I ever spent on a computer book! The first edition of Web Design in a Nutshell was the tattiest computer book I owned, and with very good reason. While I may be a dab hand with the old HTML code, there are times when I'm not sure if I'm using the right code or if a certain tag will work. I wish that there were more books like this, it has enough detail to satisfy those new to HTML as well as an easy to use reference for those with bad memories! The second version of Web Design in a Nutshell contains all the same quality information as the first (revised and updated obviously). One of the most important changes made is to update the advice given about the use of CSS in favor of depreciated tags now that CSS is better supported. Revised chapters on the images formats and the new ones added covering new topics such as SMIL and designing for mobile devices make the book more appealing to a much wider web developing audience. As ever there is the useful HTML reference and CSS support chart, which, to be honest was the main reason for me buying the 2nd edition soon after it was printed! This book, whatever version you can get your hands on, is a must have. I've often found myself referring to Web Design in a Nutshell as my "Web Design Bible", it is the only HTML reference book I have! The only thing that lets it down, is its suceptability to age - web technologies move quickly and I'll no doubt be updating my copy of this book as and when new versions become available.
Rating:
Summary: Web Design in a Nushell
Review: Great if you are new to web design and need a reference to give you the essentials and get you up and running fast. I used this book with Macromedia's Dreamweaver and I was building interesting data driven sites in a week.
Rating:
Summary: Essential reference
Review: While the style is sometimes a little difficult, this is an essential reference. I would recommend reading through it once if you don't know much about web page design. After that, it is easy to pick up the book and flip to the right section for whatever you're looking for - graphics, CSS, basic HTML... even the first edition includes a small amount of information on DHTML - enough to whet your appetite to learn more about it. (I have the first edition of this book.)
Rating:
Summary: Great intro and thorough support.
Review: This is the book I chose to start my website design career and I have found it to be excellent in presenting all the facets clearly and relatively comprehensively, giving good sources for further exploration. It is still in arms reach at all times
as my desktop reference, although I have begun to buy some more advanced and specialized books.
Rating:
Summary: The one book I keep right by my side.
Review: I bought the first edition this book with no real knowledge of HTML or web design at all for that matter. After I was finished, I was pretty proficient with HTML and CSS. I liked it so much that I talked my test team into purchasing the second edition (my first edition was well used and in need of the replacement).
Keep in mind that this is a reference, but it's a reference that touches on most of the web technologies that exist out there. Although it won't teach you everything about web design, it's a great starting point and gives you enough info to know what the technology are for and if you need it in your page.
I've been programming on and off since the 80's, but my memory is like a sieve, so I rely on reference books constantly. I also don't learn like your regular programmer, so good examples are a must for me. I think this book does that.
If you are that type of person, get this book.
Rating: 
Summary: 600 pages of HTML.
Review: As someone who has struggled with the user un-friendly GoLive I bought this book hoping for some clarity. But this is some nutshell--it reads (and visually appears) like The United States Penal Code In A Nutshell. If you are a professional web designer and you need a reference that's like the unabridged dictionary, this might do it. Granted, Dreamweaver and GoLive are so complex, you probably could just write your own code. But no thanks. There is one lesson that this book really brings home. Desiging an exciting site that looks good on all monitors and with all browsers, is not fun, is not easy and is not user friendly. But that's not the book's fault. In fairness, this is not the most difficult book out there. If you just can't get enough complexity there are the Real World books.
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