Categola

A great way to learn!!!!(Rating: 5)
Do you EVER remember laughing out loud while studying a computer language? (I'm not talking about the sleep-deprived, caffeine-induced, maniacal style). Well, I find myself laughing, and learning, in every single chapter of Head First Java. Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates write in an engaging style, combining fun visuals with effective analogies that truly make learning fun. I highly recommend the book.Head First Java, 2nd Edition

+1 -1(Rating: 5)
(+1) Book came in preserved state, almost as if I have bought it in a shop myself.
(-1) I have other remark, I was billed for additional expenses (almost 10E) when book arrived at my house.

*Thumbs up* && keep up the good work!

EVERYONE GET THIS !!!(Rating: 4)
I read this book and decided to get it although I definitely know Java basics. As I read, I saw that I got many things clarified.

So, why do you need it?

-If you got some moderate experience in Java, this will give you nice foundations in basically everything. I program some small devices and there are things I needed and always wanted to know HERE.
-If you are beginner, I can't think of better combo than Barry Burd and then this book. It will really make things clear.
-If you are expert, well...you don't need books, but it is a good read :)

THANKS GOD THERE IS A BOOK THAT GIVES CONCEPT ABOUT TOP DOWN PRG DESIGN!!!

Lot of exercises with FREE solutions, lot of code and general 'try it your self attitude', a REAL brain friendly book.

This might not be as deep as Eckel but IS MORE IMPORTANT. This is not a reference like Schildt but it has references to what you need to do work...

Please buy it!!! This is only book that will get you enough knowledge AND break fear and aversion towards Java at the same time.

The perfect starter book for learning Java for programmers(Rating: 4)
This book's main specialty in my opinion is learning the language itself (versus use of language). It really helps you understand not only what is going on, but why you do things a certain way. This is what sets it apart from some of the other good Java books. However, I wish it had more real life code. A little less animals and shapes kind of stuff. It also seemed like Java generics (ArrayList) was kinda thrown in at the end. Also, database coverage was lacking entirely. Since almost all real applications these days (especially business apps) use them, it is an issue to not have a good bit of coverage of them.

Pros:
Good core explanation of the language
Good core explanation of object oriented programming
Easy to read and move at a pace that you like

Cons:
Not much "real code" that you would reference later
Not many "real life" examples. Lots of animals, instead of real life uses
A little lacking in certain areas like GUI design (of course Swing is pretty weak in this area...)
Database coverage

Your best bet is to get this book and read it cover to cover to really understand Java. Then grab Murach's Java 6 book to further that understanding and see the language used in real life situations including databases. You can also reference Murach's later too since it has good code examples.

Cute, but useless(Rating: 1)
First, a general comment on programming books: Stop giving people useless code examples. People learn how to program by actually programming. When will someone make a book that gives you useful, practical, hands on exercises instead of useless code snippets?

Specific to this book is the fact that they're worse about this useless code than anyone else I've ever seen. They gloss through scores of different topics quickly, with little detail or practical use. You will not learn Java from this book.