Teach Yourself Java

Rating:
Summary: No one can learn java from this book
Review: A person trying to learn java from this book will be frustrated and lost by chapter 3 if not earlier. Components and structures are only mentioned and not explained as if just providing examples of java programs were sufficient. This is another one of those how-to book that is only understandable to a person who already knows the subject. Those who give this book high marks must either be friends of the author or already know java or both.

Rating:
Summary: Exellent source for first time java programmer.
Review: Chris Wright managed to put aside the complexity and time-consuming process for understanding java. This book is a great guide for those like me who has no clue what java is about. Step-by-step about how it should be made, quizzes that aren't designed to be hard.

I owe it to the author that I'm doing well in Java course at college.

Rating:
Summary: Teach Yourself Java (and other things)
Review: I really didn't find the book all that useful. The code explanations are not clear and his website used for reference is incomplete. You also have to supply your own gifs or jpegs to get his examples to work. But I guess you get what you pay for. Spend your money on something else.

Rating:
Summary: No padding - cuts to the chase!
Review: This book is aimed at first year university or college students or professionals new to the language.

The aim is to provide the essentials of the language - the core JDK distribution (versions 1.x).

Graphics, Event Handling, GUI Design and basic communications are covered in detail.

Examples range from the trivial (Hello birds, Hello sky!) to the complex - car racing game and internet browser.

Rating:
Summary: Great first Java book for programmers
Review: This book is an ideal introduction to Java. It's short (only 200 pages), concise and clear. Considering its size, the book's scope is amazing. I runs from the introduction of syntax and data types, to classes and inheritance, applets and applications, GUIs and graphics, threads, IO and communications. When you've read it, you can write useful code, and more important, you have a good feeling for the "Java mindset." Since Java programming is as much about finding code (i.e., existing APIs) as it is about writing code, a book that provides the big picture is an invaluable first start in getting your head around 2,000 classes and 40,000 methods. This small, easy to read, and inexpensive book is a real value. My only criticism could be that that more graphics illustrations would be helpful. But then, I guess the book wouldn't be small and cheap, would it?

Rating:
Summary: No one can learn java from this book
Review: This is not the definitive Java reference but it is a great book for anyone just coming to Java and who doesn't want to get buried in one of the typically massive works that are on the market. In just over 200 pages Chris very nicely covers the basics of Java to the point that anyone should feel comfortable writing a modest application or applet. I would recommend this as the "first book" on Java that anyone reads.

Rating:
Summary: Just the facts!
Review: This is not the definitive Java reference but it is a great book for anyone just coming to Java and who doesn't want to get buried in one of the typically massive works that are on the market. In just over 200 pages Chris very nicely covers the basics of Java to the point that anyone should feel comfortable writing a modest application or applet. I would recommend this as the "first book" on Java that anyone reads.

Rating:
Summary: not a book for beginner
Review: This is one of the worst book I have ever read in my life. I can guarantee that a beginner will not understand on the topics. eg. Chris try to explain writing methods in Java with one subsection, which could takes chapters for one to understand as a beginner.

I am also being fooled by the ratings on this web site. Honestly I would not recommend anyone to buy this book. A beginner find it too hard to understand, yet it looks like trash material to a programmer, since all of the items are introductory stuffs, explained in a very difficult way. Save your $ and buy something else (that is useful)

Rating:
Summary: What you need to get started with Java, not too complicated
Review: Top banana book, easy to follow, detailed where necessary but not too geeky. This book was the only way for me to understand what was going on in my Java for beginners course. If you are new to Java but know even a tiny amount of programming then this is the book for you.

Rating:
Summary: Great For Beginners
Review: Wright provides explanations on progamming basics such as loops statements, methods, class and objects. Gives simple to follow examples that can be implemented and expanded.

Easy to read and light in weight so you can read on the bus or subway. He even gives little assignments (with answers on the web) so that you can practice what you have learned in the book.

"You tell me and I forget, You show me and I remember, You involve me and I learn."

Which is what I have with this book ...