Reader reviews

The clearest explanation of javascript I have come across.

I have been working with javascript for a few years now and I still found plenty here that was new to me. It is denser than the page count suggests, and I found myself slowing down around the middle. The chapters on javascript are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.

A superb guide. The examples are small but complete.

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.

Better than I expected. Rare to find a technical book this well judged.

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.

A genuinely enjoyable read that also taught me a great deal.

I read this over a couple of weekends alongside a small side project, which turned out to be the ideal way to approach it. The chapters on javascript are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. I have already recommended it to two colleagues and will recommend it to more.

A useful guide. The examples assume a particular environment, but that is fixable.

I was looking for something that would bridge the gap between tutorials and proper reference material, and this does that well. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a gentle introduction.

Almost excellent. A second edition could easily push it to five stars.

There is a particular kind of technical book that is dense without being difficult, and this is one of them. The code samples assume a particular environment, which took a bit of fiddling to get running properly. The author avoids over-explaining, which keeps the pace up but means you need to pay attention. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.