Sams Teach Yourself Java 2 in 24 Hours (3rd Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Fun But Not About Programming
Review: While I enjoyed the book, I was left with the feeling that this was a regimen of programming by example, and that the more structured thought processes necessary for design did not come through. Although there were some pointers to places where students could find out more about Java, the principles themselves were not explained. The best a beginner could expect upon finishing this book would be to replicate the examples and to move on to further reading. The book did tell me what Swing and Java Beans were, but the distinction between a class and an object were never made clear. The choice of different approaches was not explained, and there was no walk-through to show the students how to use the references. Finally, Rogers Cadenhead's humor was a little too salty and impish, and used too many idioms, for an academic class presented in California. This dismayed me a bit, because the range of topics he covered were perfect for an introductory course in extended education.

Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your time and money!
Review: You have enough choices to get a better book than this one. I am shameful for my own selection. However, this book may be suitable for some others who like this style.