Reader reviews

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

I bought this on a whim after seeing it mentioned in a forum thread, and I am glad I did. The exercises at the end of each chapter are worth doing — they caught a few misconceptions I did not know I had. A couple of chapters felt like they could have been merged, but that is a minor complaint. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. I have already recommended it to two colleagues and will recommend it to more.

A worthwhile addition to my shelf, with realistic expectations.

I picked this up after getting stuck on a project and it turned out to be exactly the right book at the right time. Some terminology is introduced without much ceremony; I had to look a few things up along the way. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. Some terminology is introduced without much ceremony; I had to look a few things up along the way. Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a gentle introduction.

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. It is denser than the page count suggests, and I found myself slowing down around the middle. The early chapters move quickly through material I already knew, but the later sections were genuinely new to me. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.

An enjoyable and informative read, though it could have been shorter.

I was looking for something that would bridge the gap between tutorials and proper reference material, and this does that well. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. Good value for the price and worth the time it takes to work through properly.

Mixed feelings. The good parts are genuinely good; the rest is forgettable.

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. A couple of chapters felt like they could have been merged, but that is a minor complaint. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. Three stars feels about right. It will stay on my shelf, but it will not be the first one I reach for.

I got a lot out of this, even if a few sections felt rushed.

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 examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. Worth picking up if you already have the basics. Set realistic expectations and you will get a lot out of it.