Hi Sam,
I just like to echo Ernest's rather succinct book review of
Teach Yourself Java in 21 Days. I recently borrowed a copy (of a more recent edition) from a friend just to get a little taste of Swing, which I hadn't done before. I'm an experienced server-side Java and web developer.
The book contained an unusual amount of errors and inconsistencies in the example code, including bad coding practice, and the narrative frequently used poor English. The tone was often patronising and the pace pedestrian. Even if the book covered version 1.4 I wouldn't recommend it unless the publishers/editors have pulled their socks up and the authors have changed.
Altogether it's a bit of a no-no.
Jules
[ August 15, 2004: Message edited by: Julian Kennedy ]