First review of Professional JavaScript, 2nd Edition
It’s always exciting to see the first review of a book that I’ve written. This time, Stephen Chapman of about.com is the first to review Professional JavaScript for Web Developers, 2nd Edition. He writes in his review:
This book has undergone a major rewrite since its first edition three years ago. The book is now bigger and better than before and a must have for every experienced programmer who writes JavaScript.
Wow, pretty high praise! What I’ve always liked about Stephen is that he’s not just technically knowledgeable, he seems to really understand why books are written a certain way. One of my goals was to make sure that this was considered a “professional” book, meaning that it doesn’t hold your hand and teach you what variables and functions are. It assumes that you already know all the programming concepts you’ll need and tries to relate that to JavaScript. A couple of quotes from his review that really signaled to me that he understood what I was going for:
Rather than introducing JavaScript the way most JavaScript for beginners books do by covering small parts of the language that will allow you to get started, this book covers each aspect of the language thoroughly in a way that even those with an intermediate level of knowledge of JavaScript can use the book to extend their knowledge of how to better utilise JavaScript.
…
The order in which the information is presented in this book is significantly different from the way most other JavaScript books handle it which makes the book into a useful reference for experienced JavaScript programmers as each subject is covered in great depth all in the one place rather than being limited to what a beginner would understand on first reading.
Whenever I see a reviewer say that, “this book is unlike other JavaScript books,” then I feel like I’ve succeeded. This is exactly what I was going for and I’m heartened to know that Stephen got it. I hope everyone else gets it too.
Oh, and his overall rating. Five stars! Thanks Stephen!
Disclaimer: Any viewpoints and opinions expressed in this article are those of Nicholas C. Zakas and do not, in any way, reflect those of Yahoo!, Wrox Publishing, O'Reilly Publishing, or anyone else. I speak only for myself, not for them.
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5 Comments
Well done!
Julian Turner on March 7th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Wow, that’s a great review. Congratulations man! Writing a book that is unlike others is a really smart strategy, I must say - not only to offer more valuable information to JavaScript developers, but to give them a reason to buy this book in addition to others (and feel they’ve made a cost-effective purchase). Nice job!
Mike Lee on March 7th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
I have the first edition (2005), and it is impressive…awesome. I haven’t yet seen the 2nd Ed but I am sure it is no less as well-done as the first. The fact is, after 4 years passing, which is eons in the info tech / web development industry, a 2nd edition is a must. Web development is in constant flux, and I have no doubt that author Zakas will be presenting a 3rd edition update in another four years, around 2012–13.
Actually I know that the trend in publishing is to use the term In the natural sciences and other forms of engineering, with rapid and continuing advances in technology and its exploitation by changes in culture/behavior/attitude of individual and society, it is a must to present an of the current science and technology. I would rather that authors and their publishers modify the use of titles to their tomes and monographs. For instance many regularly updated reference books (e.g., Physicians Desk Reference, Current Medicine) incorporate the year into their title. I would recommend to Zakas that he could use a title: Current Professional JavaScript 2009 as opposed to Professional JavaScript 2nd Ed as he used. Anyway, keep up the fine ability to relate the changes in the technology and here’s looking forward to the 3rd Ed a few years later.
SMH on May 10th, 2009 at 6:20 am
Great book, I just started learning JavaScript and your book I’ll recommend highly to others that I know are wanting to learn JavaScript the right way, rather just copying some code from some website. Although I do realize that there are several fantastic JavaScript libraries available, making web development even easier, I really don’t think that copying plugins should be considered web development and designing, then passing that on to a user as ethical programming. Although some of the concepts in your books are more advanced than some of the mishmash code strewn here and there, trying to pass as glitz and glamor, the ease with which you making understanding JavaScript in the numerous examples makes learning more enjoyable. Every day for the past six months, I have been reading numerous other books, but I always come back to your books when I find something relatively confusing; there are no comparisons to the basic concepts you deliver.
But, on the other hand, if learning JavaScript using your books helps me produce elegant code for an excellently designed web site, then we will all benefit for making the Internet a more better place rather than making a web site that is like passing billboards on an Interstate highway.
Harold on May 23rd, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Wow, Harold, thanks for the kind words! I hope you put that on Amazon too.
Nicholas C. Zakas on May 23rd, 2009 at 11:13 pm
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