Best Java book you have read this year?

So what is the best Java book you have read this year?
I have two, a new one and an old one:
The new one:
Developing Java Web Services: Architecting and Developing Secure Web Services Using Javaby Ramesh Nagappan (Author), et al. We did a promotion with them earlier this year.
The old one:
Java Rules by Douglas Dunn. This actually came out a couple of years ago but I just read it this year. It is an exceptional book.

My favorite this year has been Jonathan Knudsen's J2ME Wireless Java book.
Mark

What exactly do you mean by "Java book"? Does "Agile Software Development - Principles, Patterns and Practices" qualify?

Originally posted by Ilja Preuss:
What exactly do you mean by "Java book"? Does "Agile Software Development - Principles, Patterns and Practices" qualify?

Ack! No!!!

I enjoyed Bruce Tate's "Bitter Java" in a way that I haven't enjoyed a computer book in years. The approach was unique, and the material was well presented.

Originally posted by Thomas Paul:
Ack! No!!!

The first part, I understand: ACK == Acknowledged
But NO? No Offense? Why should I feel offended?

I have found Sams Publishing "Tomcat Kick Start", by Martin Bond and Debbie Law, invaluable while learning Servlets and JSPs.

Head First Java

Originally posted by Johannes de Jong:
Head First Java

Good call Johannes. Now I think I have to rethink my "nomination"
Mark

- Sun certified programmer, by Kathy Sierra, Bert Bates
I haven't taken the certification exam, but I really liked it.
- EJB design patterns by floyd marinescu. Liked it a lot. Haven't read core j2ee design patterns, I've heard it's the best in this area

I know this is probably old hat to a lot of people, but I came to the subject relatively late; so my best Java book this year was the O'Reilly one on Java RMI by William Grosso. I thought it was really clearly written and well explained. It almost tempted me away from sockets when I did my SCJD assignment. But only almost

I also want to give Max's (et al) book "The Sun Certified Java Developer Exam with J2SE 1.4" an honorable mention: in my opinion the chapter on threads contains the clearest explanation of multi-threaded programming I have ever read (including quite a few books dedicated to concurrent programming or threads).

Thinking in java... I started liking the book by the the uniqueness of the name and reading it didn't disappoint me...
I completely agree with Damien Ryan on the chapter on threads in developers' exam book. I got my threads clear after reading the book.
[ August 11, 2003: Message edited by: vasu maj ]

These aren't necessarily Java books, but two recent purchases I'm enthusiastic about are EJB Cookbook (Sullins and Whipple) and Java Development with Ant (Hatcher and Loughran). Both Manning books.
Bruce Tate's Bitter Java and Bitter EJB are good also.

I wish I'd had KickStart Tomcat three years ago.
Mughal/Rasmussen's Java 1.2 Certification in goods/ounce was hard to beat. (How come no 1.4 edition ?)

I'd have to say "Head First Java" as it got me to finally start learning Java. I never really *needed* to learn Java for any of my jobs (Oracle, Unix, perl, etc.) but I kinda always wanted to....

I love learning new things so that hadn't been the problem. It was just finding the time and Java just didn't bubble up to the top of the list. With HFJ I was able to really get started - quickly & painlessly.

I still have a lot of competing interests that keep me from spending as much time as I would like on Java but, after going through HF Java I have been able to get going with the rest of the Java books I've been collecting

No doubt for HF EJB.

Nick

The 2 Head Firsts (EJB/Servlets n JSP).
I read both of them, this year.
While last year, I read Head First Java (So, can't include in this yr's list)

I would say HF EJB & HF Servlets and JSP.

Vanniarajan Arumugam PMP
SCBCD
SCJP

I vote for
Sun certified programmer, by Kathy Sierra, Bert Bates
After reading the book i felt confident that I will pass the exam. and I got 86%.
It is a great book. Also 'Head First Java' is a great book for beginners. I haven't read that but I have browsed through it once.
[ November 03, 2004: Message edited by: Ravi Kotaru ]

I love "Head First EJB" for it was very pleasant to read book on not so pleasant technology. I commend it for being very "user friendly". And it was fun. But when I finished reading it was hard to find answers to questions. It's great as a tutorial but doesn't do for a reference book. It is very good, fun to read introduction that I would never say "it's just another book".

I've read 3 books this year and I would vote for "HF EJB".

My vote goes to HF EJB.

This thread is taking on a certain KS and BB flavor, isn't it? :roll:

I'm afraid I have to add to it though. HF Design Patterns is the best Jave book I've read this year. Bruce Tate's 'Lighter Java' was very good, but not really what I call a classic Java book. The winner of the Java Manifesto category for this year, I think.

I'm looking forward to the first book about Maven also.

head first EJB book is it good for beginner ? or it mainly for exam ? thank you

Originally posted by Ilja Preuss:
What exactly do you mean by "Java book"? Does "Agile Software Development - Principles, Patterns and Practices" qualify?

It does use Java

Indeed it's a great work.
Another good one is Head First Design Patterns.

I'd be hard pressed to decide between those two.

I'm not done yet, but 'JUnit Recipies' is my favourite for the year.

Java Cookbook.

I am carrying coals to Newcastle, but

I started reading Head First Design Patterns two weeks ago, and am beginning to understand design patterns for the first time. I have several other DP books including Gamma, Helm, Johnson, and Vlissides, but they are too advanced for me (a greenhorn) at this time. HFDP makes it all clear and simple (sorta).

Head First Java, 2nd Edition is on the way -- shipped this afternoon. That looks good, too.

My first Java book was Core Java I, seventh edition, Cay Horstmann. It is also a very good book. I have read 200+ pages of it, and that and a few chapters in HFDP is all the java, I know, so far.

I vote for HFDP too.

Nick

"Effective Java - Programming Language Guide" by Joshua Bloch. The author has explained some very complex design ideas clearly. Going to take a bit more Java (OO) experience before I really understand the more subtle points � sign of a good book.

I also like HFDP, but I've only started reading it. Can I also add "Peopleware"

by Tom Demarco, Timothy Lister. I know this is not a Java book - but I think it is relevant.

I'd say HFDP is the best I've read this year, but Effective Java is the best book I have on my shelf.

a) HF EJB,
b) HF Servlet/JSP
c) How Tomcat Works, edited by BrainySoftware, written by Budi Kurniawan and Paul Deck
d) Wireless Java, Developing with J2ME, edited by Apress, written by Jonathan Knudsen

Head First Java, hands down. Haven't seen Design Patterns yet, but just want to say thankyou to the authors -- you've made my college Java life a lot simpler and a lot more fun

.

Cheers!

I vote to Head First Design Pattern...

One of my all time favorites is:
Joshua Bloch's "Effective Java Programming Language Guide".

A recent favorite:
Freeman�s et. al. "Head First Design Patterns"
How did we learn design patterns before this book?

...Ariel

HF Design Patterns, a great book. I also like to mention Applying UML and Patterns. An Introduction to Object-Oriented }Analysis and Design and Iterative Development third edition from Craig Larman, this is not exactly about java but it�s really worth reading.

I vote for

Sun certified programmer, by Kathy Sierra, Bert Bates
It's not because it allowed me to pass the exam but content was well organized. Even for people who are unaware of java programming can easily learn Java programming. I hope they are going to release this kind of book in J2ME.

hmmm...havent read the HF series...but so many posts would compel me to do so.

my favourites have been the 'Core Java' series and most O'Reilly java books, notably the O'Reilly Servlets book.

1-Software Architecture Design Patterns in Java by Partha Kuchana.(simply great)
2-Effective Enterprise Java by Ted Neward

Another fan of "Sun Certified Programmer & Developer for Java 2 Study Guide" and Sierra-Bates (thanks! thanks! thanks!).

It helped me a lot to pass the exam and "seeking the next joke" encorauges to keep reading to someone as lazy as me. I used a PDF print of 4 pages/sheet only with the programmer exam, small enough to carry everywhere. Of course I've an original, but if I haven't I like it so much that I'll purchase it, even with the exam passed, it's very well organized and the explanations for threads and assertions are the best I found.
The negative point is that the developer part seems only an introduction, it says important things but I'm expecting a book with SCJD better covered and written in the same style.

I'll try some of the HF books for this summer reading...

I have seen mention here of Design Patterns by the Gof, and Joshua Bloch's book Effective Java.

I own both. I cannot understand either of them. IMO, if you understand them, you don't need them. If you don't understand them, you don't need them. By the time you do understand them .... Why can't I see the Emperor's new clothes?

But someday I am going to read them and understand them. Just for spite.

There is a satirical review at amazon.com of Bloch's book by someone using the nom de plume Charles Henry Higgensworth III of Boston, Massachusetts.