I have read many books about programming, and this one is probably my favorite. Firstly, it is HUGE. over 1,300 pages and print that is none too big. I guess if you really want to learn a ton of C# and not spend much money, this might be the best way to do it.
What is really great about the book is the author's approach. Most programming books really don't make any sense. They either are boring reference books which are really useless, because it is often easier to use Google to find out how to use a specific command or figure out how to accomplish a specific task.
The other kind of programming book are step-by-step tutorials. (I have read Microsoft Visual C# 2008 Step by Step, for example.) They say, "Type this here. Click on this icon." Those books are more useful because you actually learn in the process. But I find them very difficult to use. First of all, they are b-o-r-i=n=g. It is hard to stay awake for the 30 minutes or hour it takes to go through all the steps. By the time I get to the end, I can't remember most of what I did. I don't think that is very useful.
The problem that these tutorial books have is that they do not explain THE IMPORTANT CONCEPTS that we need to learn in an interesting way. Instead of teaching us important concepts, we quickly get lost in the minutia of the steps. That's why it is boring. Our minds are not engaged and quickly fall asleep. We are reduced to mindless typing robots.
That's why I love this book so much. It does not fall in either of the above categories. The author explains concepts in easy to understand terms, and includes very short code examples to do for ourselves. The code examples are so short they only take a few minutes to type, so they are not boring. They perfectly complement the explanation.
The approach is masterful because it explains difficult concepts (at least until you get used to them) in a way that is easy to understand. (I finally understand polymorphism!) The book is broken into very short chapters (33 in all) so that each concept is easily absorbed. Although the book is long, each chapter is quite short and does not introduce too much information at once.
Another thing that is wonderful about the book is that it actually helps us understand what is happening inside the computer. For example, it explains what the CIL (Common Intermediate Language) looks like and how it works. It explains in detail how the garbage collector works. Yet unlike most books, the author reveals the information in layers, like the layers of an onion. He doesn't dump everything on you at once like most books. He touches on a subject, explains part of it, and shows examples. But then he explains more about the same subject in later chapters. That makes the book much easier to understand than other programming books.
I think the book would be too difficult for someone who is new to C#, unless they have experience with other languages. If they do, then this book is perfect. If not, I think this would be a great 2nd book for someone who is completely new to programming.
Also, with the purchase of the book you get a free copy of the eBook in PDF format. That actually makes it easier to read and pretty convenient if you have a 2nd monitor. So, you can copy and paste the code from the eBook into Visual Studio.
One other great thing about the book is the accompanying web site. It allows you to re-download the eBook if you accidentally delete it, submit and view errata, and download bonus chapters. You can download the source code for all the examples in the book, which are divided up by chapter to make it easy to find. The bonus chapters are about Windows Forms, GDI+, Remoting and XML web services. I thought 1,300+ pages would be enough for one book, but not for the author. He seems committed to delivering as much values as possible.
All in all, definitely an outstanding book.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
There is a newer edition of this item:
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Frequently purchased items with fast delivery
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2010
- Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2010
- Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2009
Top reviews from other countries
- SandersReviewed in Canada on September 26, 2011
Everything you need to get started in C#...
- Foolish FishReviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2008
For seasoned programmers only
-
