Rating: 
Summary: Some minor problems in an otherwise decent book
Review: I was going to wait to write my review until after I took the exam, but the book has already lost its chance for 5 stars due to one stupid detail I discovered this morning - a Java book whose accompanying CD requires *Windows*! Would it have been that hard to provide a -Java- program for the self-tests so that those of us using other systems could still make the most of the product? As you can see, this has me somewhat annoyed (I'd understand if it was a Windows book or even a C book, but the whole point of Java....)That said, it wouldn't be fair to rate the entire book against this shortsightedness. The fact is that the book is very good, although it can be tiring to encounter the bad jokes and parenthesized comments sprinkled throughout. I guess some people find them funny, but I found them somewhat distracting. But I *do* appreciate the conversational tone of the writing itself, which makes it easier to engage with a subject that is somewhat dry -- you WILL learn the details of the language that you may have missed in other books. I feel very confident having completed this book, as it cemented a lot of the cracks in my understanding. As it says in the beginning, this book won't teach you to program in Java, but it will answer any questions you had about the Java programming language. Also note that there are some errors in the book, including one or two (can't remember) in the end-of-chapter tests. In summary, I do highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: A very good book
Review: This is a very good book. It makes Java 1.4 very easy by using detailed discussions, many examples, and some very helpful diagrams.
What I liked the most about this book is that it also gives some practice programming projects(not very big). The exams on the cd are also good and I was able to download a bonus master exam from the learnkey site. What I would have liked to see is 6% more diagrams. In some areas, diagrams would have been best to use instead of detailed explanations. Overall, it's a very good book and I've had others which did not do a very good job in explaining things
Rating:
Summary: Cuts to the chase, and points out the "Gotcha's".
Review: This book doesnt beat around the bush, but cuts right to the tricks that are likely to show up on the exam. EASY/HUMOROUS
This guide is very easy read, especially compared to other cert prep books! Many books of this kind, tend to put me to sleep. With this book however, I found my self laughing out loud throughout each chapter. Its really humorous, and not your typical "Geek Humor". It catches you off guard and is a very fun way to understanding the more serious and boring topics. I passed but could have done much better had I given more time to the practice exam on the CD. I spent more time on each chapter and sample questions, and only took the practice exam once and didn't spend very much time reviewing the questions after. My suggestion would be not to stress out on each chapter along the way (the sample questions are meant to be hard for a reason). Also take advantage of the CD by reviewing every question, and taking it more than once.
Rating: 
Summary: Best Book for Programmer Exam
Review: This book is a must if you take the new Java Programmer Exam (1.4). It explains all you have to know in an easy way and points out how to tackle even the trickiest questions.
I read through the book in 2 weeks and passed with 91%. I bought 4 other books on the same topic before and have to admit that only this book with all the hints of Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates really helped me prepare for the exam. (However, please investigate at least one or two month, because I didn't feel prepared at all and had no time to read the last chapter, which handles Threads...)
Furthermore, I have a tip for all Java Programmer Exam takers. Have a look at Dan Chisholms webpage. He offers hundreds of questions that help you prepare for the exam:...
Rating:
Summary: The right book to help you pass the exam with high marks
Review: An excellent book to prepare for the exam in a short time! It helped me a lot with the "gotcha" kind of concepts important for the exam. I scored 85% with it's help! The authors' experience of being on the team that prepares the actual exam questions, greatly contributes in focussing on the relevant concepts required to take the exam. The self-test and reviews in each chapter are simply excellent. I also liked the authors subtle sense of humor throughout the book!
I strongly recommend that you should use this book for your preparation.
Rating:
Summary: Read it, take the test, and celebrate your score
Review: I've just passed the programmer exam and I owe it to this book. The authors explain very well all concepts and details of the language needed in the exam, guiding the reader about what is more important to keep in mind while taking it. All this without loosing the sense of humor! Everything that was asked in the exam was covered in this book and the three practice exams included in the cd are *very* similar to the real one.
Rating: 
Summary: I have never seen more errors!
Review: In general, I think the book is useful, but I cannot imagine that the authors passed this test let alone co-wrote it!! It is full of errors! If you buy this, plan on visiting the web site and spending at least 45 minutes correcting all the errors. The errors are under 'errata' on the site. (It's not explained where to find them, so I thought I'd post that) and even after updating my book, I'm STILL finding errors! Some are simple typos, but others are errors in their example problems that if you don't catch will screw you up during the test!! I've currently read through chapter 5 and so far found 50 errors! The content is good though. I will also say that the authors can't seem to figure out if they're Java geeks or comedians. In case they read this, I'll answer for them... geeks. Example: "we can't say you'll be a "complete OO being" by reading this chapter.)(We can say however, that your golf swing will improve.)" At first, these are moderately amusing, but after awhile, they just get downright annoying. Authors, keep writing code, leave the jokewriting to the pros...
Rating:
Summary: A great book
Review: I found that this book was very helpful. The questions in the book and the sample test are very close to the real questions on the exam. I passed the SCJP test with a score of 85%. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to become a Java certified programmer.
Rating:
Summary: All you need to pass with high mark
Review: This is the only book I used, and it was all I needed. I looked at the online specification a couple of times, and that was it. I studied with this book a little bit every day for three weeks, and passed with a 92%. Everything is extremely helpful explanation. I wish all other technical books were written more like this one. The focus is on the exam and on helping to pass the exam. The self-test and reviews in each chapter are simply excellent.
There are a lot of gotchas on the SCJP exam and this book tells you how to beware and 'watch out' for these tricky details that I would not have known about. The practice tests are not more hard than the real exam, but they are almost identical to the difficulties of the real exam. I felt very well prepared when I sat my examination.
The book does not use 'terse' explanation that is technically correct but very difficult to read. Instead, it will make sure that you have understood something by explaining it in several different ways. Very useful for difficult concepts. I was hearing myself say over and again, "So THAT is how it works! Now I understand!"
I strongly recommend that this is a book to have for your studies, and you do not need to do anything else except what the book tells you to do.
Rating:
Summary: Mock Exams Very Realistic
Review: I got a 94% on the book's mock exams, and a 92% on the real SCJP exam. I found them to be the closest to the real exam of any of the other mock exams in books and on the web that I have tried. I got this book based on what people are saying at javaranch, and the consensus is that the mock exams are very close, and that was true for me. The book even entertained me, which I find very surprising and a bright spot at the end of a work day when I do not want to be studying. This is a terrific and refreshing book, and will be the least painful way to get through the exam.
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