Review by : Bear Bibeault
Rating : 9 horseshoes
As someone who has been writing in Java for a decade and a half, I find Michael Ernest's Java SE 7 Programming Essentials an excellent introduction and resource for not only Java, but for any aspiring programmer.
But before discussing the content of the book, let me say a few words about the binding of the book itself: it's wonderful. The pages are thicker than average for a softbound book, sport a pleasing eggshell finish, and the entire book is in full color. All technical books should be bound so handsomely. As an author myself, I'm rather jealous.
Those of you ordering the e-book will miss out on this; but not to worry, the content of the book matches its physical polish.
I've often likened computer programming to chess. Anyone can learn the moves, but sitting in front of a chess board and making random moves could hardly be considered "playing chess". Without a strategy to those moves, there's no game. But when it comes to books on programming, whether it be Java or any other computer language, all too often books emphasize the "moves" without touching upon the strategies that elevate computer code from a random mess of statements to an elegant and cohesive program.
In Java SE 7 Programming Essentials, Michael Ernest not only describes the "moves" of Java -- and in a very logical order for someone not familiar with Java or even programming -- but emphasizes thinking from the offset about the strategies that make software successful. That's rather unusual for a book targeted at the more novice audiences, and an approach that is handled well. It'd be easy to confuse the reader, obscuring the point of the concept being presented with such an approach, but the author deftly manages to avoid clouding the point while presenting "strategy" along with the "moves".
This book also avoids another trap I've seen in books that prepare one for a certification. Frequently such books "teach to the test"; preparing the reader to take the certification exam, but only that. In such books, important concepts are glossed over, or even omitted, if they aren't germaine to the
test. Java SE 7 Programming Essentials avoids this pitfall. It's a good first book on Java regardless of whether one is interested in the OCAJP certification or not.
If you are interested in learning how to program Java, rather than merely write Java, this is a book I can recommend.
. Seriously though, many books have a couple typos. If this is the worst I can find, it means the quality is good.
