JavaScript is NOT a Toy (Paperback)

A superb guide. The examples are small but complete.

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. The explanations are careful without being condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. Worth the money and the reading time, without hesitation.

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

I picked this up after getting stuck on a project and it turned out to be exactly the right book at the right time. The chapters on javascript are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.

A worthwhile addition to my shelf, with realistic expectations.

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. The explanations are careful without being condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. Four stars, and I suspect a second edition could easily push it to five.