Title: Accelerated C++
Series: C++ In-Depth
Authors: Andrew Koenig, Barbara Moo
ISBN: 0-201-70353-X
Price: $39.99 US, $62.99 Ca
Accelerated C++ takes a different approch to that which most other programming books that I have read have. Rather than taking you through most language features step by step, it only says relevent information. The book revolves around accomplishing several tasks. From framing text to makign a grading program. The most useful language features are taught. It does not teach you C with extras.
Straight away you will be presented with std::string, std::vector and and std::list types. The book shows useful things that other books usually miss out. It shows you the techniques, rather than just presenting you with something and saying how to use it. It also goes through using <algorithm> and other useful headers.
This book may be a bit too steep for a first time programmer, but for those who have programmed before this book is perfect. You will learn the most useful functions rather than the basic ones first. As I said, its not just C with extra features that it teaches. From the start you use the standard library and you go through real problems and solve them in an efficent manner.
You will find some deep explainations of functions and features. And at the end of each chapter a details section clears up any misunderstandings that may occur. You will also find an excerises section at the end which usually makes you try to manupulate the program that was written in the chapter to see the results.
One downside is that the programs get a bit repetive and they drag on for a while. Faster readers / learners may not find this to be a problem.
In all this book is worth your money. Buy it. Read it.
Learn from it.