Rating: 
Summary: The GREATEST programming book ever!!
Review: This books is simply the best. Before this book, I had read many other books on c++. None of these books were any good. I didn't learn much from them. This book explains everything, even the most complicated topics in c++. I highly recommend this books for any c/c++ programmer.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!!!!
Review: SIMPLY THE BEST, after this book there is no place in the world for the rest!!!. Now if you want to learn C++... with this book your dream come true!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Want to do it on your own and never be lost? Heller's book w
Review: Well I think this is just amazing. I have been trying different courses, tutorials and other things but they were all incomprehensible for a complete beginner. With this book, it's in our reach. It is perfectly organized from A to Z and you never get lost..... Thank you Mr. Heller
Rating: 
Summary: This is a good book for a 13-year-old.
Review: I am 13 years old. What I really liked about the book were the parts on the internal functions of a computer and the dialog with Susan. The chart on "The memory hierarchy" is very helpful, as is the dialog with Susan. It is nice to hear what problems another beginner has with programming. I found I had a lot of the same problems as Susan. It felt as though I was reading the book with Susan and not alone. The reader and Susan are learning together.
Rating:
Summary: Making mole hills out of Mountains!
Review: I cannot say enough about this book. It is a TRUE beginners book! The first three chapters are worth the price alone. I read and re-read them to get every tip. Even though I have been programing for over 12 years, this is the best and simpliest explanation of the interworkings of a computer. Now you beginners will say "I don't want to know how it does it. I want to know how to program.". You cannot be a good programmer without knowing how the computer does what it does. Steve has been around enough to know this and has made it a big part of his book. The only book I have seen to do this, I might add. I also think Amazon should note this is not a C to C++ manual, but a beginner to C++ book. It has my highest recommendation. If you have never programmed anything, this is the place to start.
Rating: 
Summary: Too much Talk
Review: I don't understand the noise about the book. It must be from non-techies. After going through the gamut of the stories there is probably only about 40 pages of stuff. You don't know if he is bringing you from a C view becos he does so much talk. You have to filter the C++ stuff. I wouldn't recommend this to any techie person. For first timers into programming believe me there is a lot of stuff not needed. No exercises, explaining memory and bytes. Exercises you need for programming, yak yak you don't need.
Rating:
Summary: This is the book.
Review: This book was very well written. Susan, supplied the novice point of view. Steve supplied the mentor point of view. Therefore, with this mixture, you get a book that's east to learn and gives you the knowledge that will help you in the longrun. I'm 13 and read this book in 3 days. It even supplies a free compiler so you can compile your very own programs that you learn to make with this book! What more could be asked for in a technical book? What else
Rating: 
Summary: Suitable for the true novice without being patronizing
Review: There are many C++ books that claim to be appropriate for
absolute novices to programming. In almost every case, this
claim is untrue because the book tries to cover far too much
material at too rapid a pace, leaving the true novice lost and
confused. This book is different: unlike all others, it has been tested on
and contributed to by an actual novice whose input resulted in
an essentially rewritten book. It covers far less material than
other books on C++, but does so much more thoroughly so
that the novice is not left behind. My advice for novices is: don't be fooled by the statement that
a particular book is suitable for a complete novice. Instead,
look several books over and see which one is appropriate for
you. If you include "Who's Afraid of C++?" in that list, I think
that's the one you'll choose.
Steve Heller P.S. There were some problems with the software installation
instructions in early printings of this book. Obviously, if you
are reading this, you have WWW access. If you have any
trouble installing the software, please visit my WWW site at
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/steve_heller/ for the latest updates.
From Computerworld's review, 7/15/97:
Mostly, though, this book is a terrific way of learning
about what can be a fairly dry subject, at least to the
uninitiated. Susan Spino, the student who corresponds
with the author throughout the book, sums it up well
when she explains what she felt like when she finally
"got it." She writes: "I was held spellbound for a few
moments. I gasped, and was gripped with the sudden realization and awe of the profound beauty of the code."
Rating: 
Summary: Skip this ONE
Review: I just recently took a C++ class and had used this book to prepare for the class. Yes, this book is easy to read and understand, but it is way to basic. It didn't cover anything I learned in the class and the class I took was at a beginning level. This book would not in any way prepare you for the real world of C++. It was definitely a waste of money... if you really want to learn the language
Rating:
Summary: A good book, but don't buy the first edition
Review: This could easily be a "10", and the SECOND EDITION probably earns the "10", but I not only read the book, I installed the software and worked the problems along with the author as he presented them, and it is here that I found problems.
The first edition contains errors in the instructions about how to execute the demo programs: simply put, if you do what the book tells you to, the program will NOT run. This could be disconcerting to a novice who lacks the self-confidence to "challenge the teacher."
Additionally, there are problems with the instructions for laoding the software, and a few of the programs on the CD have errors in them as well. To his credit, the author has provided fixes on his Web Page for these shortcomings. To summarize, I'd say "get the second edition or later, avoid the first edition."
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