Rating: 
Summary: Good explanations for all of those starting out.
Review: This is a great book for someone with very little knowledge of an object-oriented programming language, or any programming language! The example programs are very easy to visialize, except for a few, like the one in Link Lists (or it could just be me). I'm having some problems with operator overloading and the string classes part, but that may come with time. I found myself reading Cat classes (in almost every example program) so much that I ended up writing it automatically into every small exercise program I did, even though I didn't need too! The best thing about the book is its detailed but simple explanations, along with its reiteration and reemphasis of the important facts. It's a great book, and I'd recommend it over any other one out there that I've glanced at, even if it does take more than 21 days to read!
Rating: 
Summary: Good book with la lot of errors
Review: The book is well written but have lot's of errors and some bad programming practices in the examples. The errata file takes 10 full printed pages and it is still growing. You can download source code from editor's site but the code is old and has more errors than the book. Nevertheless, if yoy want to try reading, the editor's site have a FREE html version of the full book.
Rating:
Summary: A fine example of a really bad C++ book.
Review: If you already know how to program in other languages and simply want to learn the C++ language, don't use this book. It spends a lot of time on simple concepts. Furthermore, it barely touches on objects and doesn't present templates, namespaces, etc. at all. On the other hand, if you are looking to learn how to program, don't use this book. It uses terrible examples, does not explain the principles of programming, and does not present the concepts in a clear or insightful manner. My high school has had really bad experiences using this book. Almost nobody got anything out of the course. The best book by far I have ever seen on introductory programming is Oh! Pascal! by Doug Cooper. It uses wonderful examples of real code and carefully explains programming concepts in a clear, concise, and insightful fashion. I haven't seen a comparable intro book on C++, but C++ Primer Plus by Stephen Prata the best I have personally seen. It presents the language fairly thoroughly, pointing out many of the semantic traps of the language and offering many good tips on writing better code. If you have the option, I would not recommend C++ as a teaching/learning language. There are a million easy ways to shoot yourself in the foot in C++. People who do not fully understand the constructs often get hung up on the semantics of the language. As a result, they often miss the big picture. The goal is to learn how to express one's self in a computer language. I would recommend well-designed languages such as Modula-3 or Oberon-2 (descendants of Pascal), or even Pascal or Java to learn how to program.
Rating:
Summary: A great learning experience
Review: I bought this book with lots of doubts about 21 days books serving any meaningful purpose and the feedback here certainly made me go for it .But on going through it I found that this one was great.Although there can be no short cut to learning but Jesse Liberty has taken pains to explain complicated stuff like pointers and classes in a simple and easy way which was good for me since I had no experience with C prior to this book. However since I had some programming experience it was easier I guess and would recommend for people with little basic programming knowledge. What this book aims is learning of C++ without help from someone else and it does that quite effectively. I have been doing a solo learning and the experience is quite good. But I doubt for an average person its possible to learn in 21 days but what the heck if one is keen on learning some extra efforts is no pain.Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in a quick start also a good handy reference book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book - buy it now!
Review: The book is easy to understand yet takes you through the labyrinth of C++ pretty thoroughly. When you finish you'll be a more than competent C++ programmer. Nicely done!
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent approach tp practice oriented C++
Review: I've bought several books covering the C++ language. None of them matched my requirements as close as Jesses book did even being often more expensive. I had programming experience and some basic C knowledge before I started actively learning C++ with this book. One major flaw is the fact that still many typos do exist which are not covered by Jesses homepage. A 3rd. edition should follow and the Listimgs should be available on CD or Diskette.
Rating:
Summary: Better than a college course.
Review: I took a college course on C++ programming and I learned more from the first "week" of the book than I did through out the entire 4 month class. I paid a couple hundred dollars to learn nothing, then 30 dollars to learn it all. It's quick, it's easy, and best of all it's for everyone. Keep making good books like this one and will be a loyal customer forever.
Rating:
Summary: Well-written book for both novice & advanced programmers
Review: Even if you can't fit your studies into the 21 days, Mr. Liberty has written the book so you can stop at anytime and return later. Each subject in each lesson is built from a previous thought, building a solid foundation throughout the book.
Rating: 
Summary: No, I don't think so.
Review: The topics in the first 4 days(chapters) were explained clearly but the rest is confusing. No way is this book for someone starting in C++. If you want to learn C++. I recommend The Beginner's Guide to C++ by Oleg Yaroshenko. Now that book is an ABSOLUTE MUST for beginners!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: misses the mark for new programmers
Review: This book is targeted toward programmers who have no previous experience with programming (as stated in its Introduction), but it misses the mark. It might be a good reference for programmers who are already familiar to some extent with C++, but then the first 8 chapters would be too simplistic for individuals who have some knowledge of the language. Here are my observations: 1) The first 9 chapters are fairly straightforward and flow pretty well for a beginning programmer, but after that point the flow of learning is interrupted by an odd sequence of chapters and a dramatic decrease in the amount of explanation for example listings in the book. 2) Example listings often utilize new syntax that is not discussed or explained sufficiently, leaving the student thoroughly confused. Sometimes there is no mention of new syntax at all, leaving the student to wonder if it is tied to the current concept being presented or is irrelevant. 3) Complex concepts are not explained thoroughly enough for new programmers to understand it without going to other sources for information. 4) A good textbook will test the student's understanding by requiring them to apply the concepts that have been presented, and to build upon previous topics. Unfortunately, there are not enough exercises at the end of each chapter (especially ones dealing with complex topics) to allow the student to master the topic or to fully explore the current programming subjects. 5) There are many locations in the book where irrelevant topics are introduced with sketchy detail - sometimes even including an example listing -- then the student is told to wait until it is covered more thoroughly later. These topics are sometimes not covered until several chapters later (when it becomes relevant to the topic at hand). 6) Even the latest printing (4th) of the book still contains a large number of errors that are not listed in the errata sheet (available from the author's Web site). 7) New programmers often appreciate reviewing the d! efinitions they've covered, but there is no glossary in the book to assist in learning the new terminology. 8) I find it doubtful that most new programmers will be able to learn C++ very well in 21 days, as the book's title suggests. Beginning programmers who purchase this book should be aware that they will probably need other references available to clarify certain complex topics that are introduced in the book. I would be much more pleased if the book included more thorough explanations (with accompanying examples, of course) in the latter half of the material and the chapters were re-sequenced.
| 
