Reader reviews

This is the one to get if you are serious about javascript.

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. I particularly liked the way the author builds up from simple cases before introducing the harder material. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. The chapters on javascript are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. This is the book I wish had existed when I started working with javascript.

Good value. Not perfect, but I would buy another book from this author.

This is the third book I have read on programming this year, and it is comfortably the best of them. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. 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.

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

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. A couple of chapters felt like they could have been merged, but that is a minor complaint. The explanations are careful without being condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.

Genuinely excellent — I finished it in a week and immediately started again.

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. Some of the diagrams are dense and I had to reread a few sections, though that may just be me. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. The explanations are careful without being condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. An easy five stars from me. I look forward to whatever the author writes next.

Worth every page. I have already recommended it to two colleagues.

I have been working with javascript for a few years now and I still found plenty here that was new to me. The explanations are careful without being condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. The author avoids over-explaining, which keeps the pace up but means you need to pay attention. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.

Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a gentle introduction.

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. It is denser than the page count suggests, and I found myself slowing down around the middle. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. Solid, and I would buy another book from this author without hesitation.