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Summary: A great book for people new to C++ and programming.
Review: Who's Afraid of C++ is a very original book. It's different from all the other programming books out today by taking difficult concepts and making them easy to understand. Steve Heller, the author, narrates his book by speaking to a novice who has never programmed. As one might expect, the things that the novice, Susan, finds difficult we too would probably share the same concern. Steve Heller helps Susan with her problems by explaining in simple language the theory and practical application behind the difficult concepts. This is only one of the things that makes this book so unique. There are a lot of other great things about this book including : - a very thorough, easy to understand glossary on C++ programming and hardware jargon. - the closing chapter clarifies the level of C++ programming he has covered and reveals that his soon to be next book will take us to more advanced topics in this very popular programming language. - A section on hardware fundamentals. - A C++ compiler ! ! ! If you are new to programming and want to learn about C++, what are you waiting for? This book is a must! Best of all, you save $100 because it comes with a free C++ compiler.
Rating: 
Summary: If you want to be able to USE C++, don't depend on this book
Review: I notice that everyone gives this book 5 stars. I can't believe it. It really isn't very good. I come from a background of simple languages like Qbasic and Turbo Pascal, and I have read several programming primers. Who's Afraid of C++ is definitely the worst I have ever seen. It spends way too much time blabbing on and on about stories, and is filled with long chunks of dialog with his test reader. I firmly believe that the best way to learn to program is to learn through experimentation and exercises, guided by a book. This book doesn't spend nearly enough time showing how different aspects of the language work. Instead, (when it isn't telling a useless story) it uses giant example programs. It does not encourage trying out your own programs at all. In fact, it doesn't even teach you how to compile programs. It merely allows you to compile the authors source using a batch file. So when a beginner attempts to write their own program, (that's what programming is for) they don't have a clue! This book is all filler and no meat.
Rating:
Summary: Useful, but very limited.
Review: Heller makes the typical mistake that experienced practicioners in any field make when trying to teach the novice.That mistake is teaching the theoretical underpinnings of the field before supplying any significant amount of practical information on how to excute the basic tasks involved in that field. An understanding of theory is, of course, critical to the expert practitioner in any field. But a novice must learn what and how before why, or he is liable to become frustrated and lose interest. The whys and wherefores only make sense once they explain the reasoning behind practices that one is familiar with. Couple this with the fact that the compiler supplied with the book is obscure and difficult for the novice to operate, and you've got a course in C++ theory rather than something a beginner can practice and learn off of. In fact, Heller only provides instruction in using makefiles to compile his sample programs in the book...a novice user who wished to practice by writing his own would probably have no idea how to get them compiled and linked. While this book is not badly written or obscure, I could not recommend it as a primary learning text. Mr. Heller has simply forgotten what it is like to be a beginner, and is teaching the things that he, from the standpoint of already knowing the material, considers most important, rather than what will move a beginner from confusion to basic competence and ability to persue further knowledge with relative ease. Theory only makes sense when it explains something you have already been doing. Leave it for the intermediate student. I would recommend this book as a supplemental text, but not as a primary one.
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Summary: A necessary read, regardless of your background.
Review: This truly is one of the finest instructional books I've ever read. The author makes a bold statement in the world of technical instruction by approaching a difficult subject in a totally original manner. I've read many technical books targeted at various experience levels and the majority fall into one of two categories; the "light-hearted, light-coverage" category and the dry, "IBM-style Technical Reference Manual" category. This book defies either and for that matter any category. Certainly, it is an excellent tutorial for beginner programmers or C++ newbies. Besides excellent coverage of the basics, it is one of the few books targeted at the beginner that details the inner workings of the machine. However, this book is also essential reading for technical writers, trainers, and departmental mentors as well, regardless of the languages or tools they use. Heller teaches much more than C++ in this text. For instance, excellent examples of transferri! ! ng technical knowledge to others can be found throughout the text, as he includes an extensive one on one dialogue with an absolute beginner. For the astute reader, there's much more that can be gleaned from this book than most other programming books. This is a real find!
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Summary: I was - and I'm not any more ...
Review: ...afraid of the one language that I am thinking of beeing the mother of the programming languages. As I'm not a very beginner on programming (I did a lot in various Basic terrivates and on a Forth based system) and made it to my profession a few years ago, the beginning of the book told me not basicly new things, but I learned some basics of the very 'heart' of the computer I always wanted to know. The permanent dialogue between the author Steve and the beginner in programming, Susan showed me, how hard it is to explain things to novices within about the first half - and it is really some kind of amusing - although it is technical book!
Well, I did not buy the book to amuse myself but wanted to study the basics of C++. And - almost suddenly - I found myself within topics beeing completely new to me. But the ease of reading and the clear way of explanations has not changed. Susan's questions and Steve's answers were a great help to understand things as they are. Whoever wants to know how C++ works should read this book.
The few questions I still had were answered by Steve (the author) via e-mail usually within a couple of hours in the precise way I was used to from his book. This is, why I'm glad that I bought especially this book!
My English may not be correct as I'm living in Vienna (Austria) - I hope readers will understand this
Rating:
Summary: Still Waiting For my Masters
Review: Who's Afraid of C++ is one of the worst books I have ever read. The main complaint that I have is the lack of balance between real world examples and reading. Each chapter is about 30 pages long... My second complaint is on the participation of a real life novice in this book. "Susan"... Her input on this book has only further complicated the experiance... Her questions are very simplistic and boring...
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Summary: Excellent C++ Book
Review: As a novice programmer I was looking for an easy to understand, structural, yet comprehensive C++ book to learn the basics and maybe some more intermediate concepts from. Unfortuanately, I did not find such a book; that is until I picked up Steve Heller's "Who's Afraid of C++". Wow! is my initial reaction. The feedback and interaction with the novice student who implicitly assumes the role of the reader was not only innovative but very helpful in the comprehensive, easy-to-understand explanations of C++ concepts. The concepts are easy to follow, yet informative enough even for intermediate programmers. Unfortunately, there is a drawback to this book. This book is out of print. But don't worry there is a new title out encompassing "Who's Afraid of C++" and "Who's Afraid of More C++", entitled "Learning to Program in C++". This book also contains revisions to the origianl first two books. I look forward to reading this title as well. I highly recommend this book.
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Summary: Good for all levels
Review: I read this book when I was just starting to learn how to program. A few weeks ago, I went back and read it again and it is still a great book. I recommend this to everyone who is interested in C++.
Rating: 
Summary: Some additions and corrections
Review: I have a couple of additions and corrections to my previouscomments on my book. . . . Apparently it has not been clear to some potential readers that in order to install the compiler, you have to have some knowledge of DOS. If you don't know anything about DOS, I suggest you get a book on it. My recommendation is "DOS for Dummies", which is very well written and covers all the basics that you will need.
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Summary: I change my mind.
Review: I have changed my mind. 'Whose Afraid of C++?' deserves a 5 star rating. The book is just to good. Still feel some will have difficulty learning how to use a compiler(not the main concern here). However,If you want to learn C++, this book is a must read. Humberto
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