Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML
by Elisabeth Freeman, Elisabeth Robson, Eric T Freeman
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Book Reviews of Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML
Book Review: Be aware of paid reviews!!! Do not buy if you are over 12!!!
Summary: 2 Stars
First a little background: i'm a student with some very basic programming skills (VERY basics of c++,C#,java) and I wanted to learn HTML/CSS+PHP/MYSQL to start with. I read some online tutorials (including w3school) and thought that there was more to html then what I learned. So I ordered this book - and what a mistake. First of all, this 600 pages could have easily been written on 150 pages max. The authors thought it would be easier to learn if there were a lot of goofy pictures and lame jokes.
What bothers me the most is that when you learn how to change something very trivial (one line of code) - let's say a background color of some element - the authors (or the three made up goofy people that follow your progress in the book) say something like - "Arent't you a big fella now - this means you're going to have at least 50% bigger salary.) They reminded me of Flanders from Simpsons...just a bit more irritating.
A lot of the 600 pages is filled with puzzels, arguments of html elements(yeah that's right - try reading 2 pages of jpg vs gif fighting over who's better - very 5-year-olds material.) Ou yeah - and be shure not to skip thingies like puzzles because you will learn a lot.... right.
I actually gave this book 2 stars because it is very visual and if you have ABSOLUTLY no knowledge of HTML/CSS AT ALL you will learn something - but than - one free online tutorial should do it if you are really interested. This book is idiot proof. If you want to force your kid to learn HTML in a "fun" way this is perfect for you.
I really don't know how does this book get such high ratings. I read a review that says sth like "I read a lot of HTML book and they were all rubbish - this is the ONE" - yeah right... Just be aware that there is a lot of paid/false reviews out there. I fell for it and am writing this review so you don't have to.
If you are really interested in becoming a programmer (or you are one and just want to be shure that you really know html/css) and just want and want to learn from scratch then this is not the book for you.
Book Review: It's nice to see a new approach to technical writing
Summary: 5 Stars
When I got my copy I was surprised at the size of the book. As this is a beginner's text I expected it to be smaller. That's not a complaint, just an observation. This is a meaty volume.
With all the buzz about Head First I was interested to see if this series really offers something new. The short answer is yes. The authors have attempted to make learning HTML and CSS easy and fun. That's a big order, though they have succeeded as well as anybody and better than most.
Instead of pages and pages of dry text, Headfirst HTML interjects lots of images and learning games. There are exercises in matching, even crossword puzzles to keep the material from getting too dry.
Some people have complained about the repetition in the book. It is certainly there. The authors even mention this in the forward. For the most part it is well done. Learning requires repetition and learning requires repetition too. Having taught web design to adults, this has become very obvious to me. Fortunately the authors do a better job of repeating themselves in different and interesting ways than I am able to.
Will this book work for everybody? No. It does make good use of modern learning theory to break the material into digestible chunks that are offered in a logical and sequential manner. I'm very impressed. But as with any training sequence it needs to be followed and worked.
If you like to try things out yourself then check a reference work to get you past your stuck points you would be better served by something like the "HTML for the World Wide Web: Visual Quickstart Guide" or "Web Design in a Nutshell". If you are good at following training programs in order and take the time to work through this book you will know more HTML than most web designers. And your knowledge will be current and standards compliant.
This is an excellent training manual but a poor reference book. So, if you are looking for solid, well designed sequential training course, I highly recommend this. If you won't take the time to work the book, look elsewhere.
Book Review: Head for Headfirst HTML with CSS and XHTML
Summary: 5 Stars
Internet marketing and social media marketing are dependent upon understanding the language of the Internet. Since HTML is the language of the web, and it's practically impossible to send out an eNewsletter without knowing a `bit' of code, learning HTML has become a necessity for today's marketers.
Understanding how HTML and CSS and XHTML work together, and how to create a website that's in accordance with web standards eludes even some of the best web developers! This easy to understand book covers not just the basics, but also some of the more complex idiosyncrasies of the language of the web in a way that makes these geeky concepts understandable.
Three reasons I'd recommend this book. First, it's a great overview, clearly written and easy to read. Second the graphics are fun and humorous. And third, it's accurate and well organized.
I wasn't sure at first whether the topic would prove too elementary, or the principals too basic, but I was really surprised to find that the tone and pace was really enjoyable. ''The authors have a sense of humor, and the graphics not only demonstrate the point, they do so in imaginative ways. Like the argument between jpeg and gif, staged as if they are two people having an argument about their relative strengths and weaknesses. Especially for folks new to the web world, the choice of gif or jpeg is sure to be a mystery that the Freemans unravel with warmth and humor.
Headfirst HTML with CSS and XHTML is a great primer for business owners, who like to be hands-on and who have more than a passing interest in how their website is built, for marketers who must interface with the Tech Guys and want to know how the web was won, and for web developers who think they understand it, but just want to fill in the gaps. Even the old hands at web design may find a thing or two they thought they knew explained in a refreshing manner that could potentially help them explain the concept to their non-techy counterparts.
A definite must own that I'll be sharing with new hires. Great investment.
Book Review: Needed to do some Refresher Training
Summary: 5 Stars
I have experience in HTML and CSS; however, I had not dealt with them in some time (five years or so). I needed to find a book that would get to the basics, yet at the same time NOT be so exhaustive that I would find myself dozing. Can anyone blame me for not wanting to be bored to death by wordy descriptions?
I happened to be in a Borders bookstore when I found this little gem, and, needless to say, I do not regret buying it impulsively. (Though I do wish that I had purchased it here -- I'd have saved myself a lot of cash.) I went home directly that night and dove straight into it. I devoured the book in four days - it's 650 pages long, not including the index!
I have found this to be hands-down one of the best books on what could have potentially been a daunting subject. However, Elisabeth Freeman and Eric Freeman were so professional in the content they placed within this book and it's layout that I have NOTHING but positive things to say about this book. I was concerned about XHTML, and now I see I had nothing to be concerned about at all.
I've developed computer based training, and there are certain principles of instructional design that are important to adhere to -- namely engaging the student, challenging them to think outside of the box, building on concepts in a logical matter, and re-enforcing points so the student actually learns. The authors of this book do that and more.
In short, I highly, highly recommend this book to both the absolute novice and those like myself who've been away a bit. I also read a great deal of historical, biographical, and fictional books, and quite often I find that I dread the end of the book. For those considering buying this book, let me tell you something a bit odd... As I drew to the end of this book, I felt that same dread! I kid you not. This book was that good.
Needless to say, I will be purchasing more books from this title.
Book Review: Excellent learning tool
Summary: 5 Stars
If you want to learn HTML 4.01 and XHTML 1.0 (along with a healthy dose of CSS), this is the book.
You don't just read through the book. It is not laid out in the traditional "This is the 'a' tag, blah, blah, blah .. now the 'b' tag, blah, blah ..." After you wake up from your nap from reading those types of books, you haven't really learned a thing.
This book wants you to be involved. If you simply read through it, you are missing the point. There are many exercises that get you involved in writing the code. I'm a big believer in the "learn by doing" philosophy and this book lives by that credo.
Not only does it give you the code exercises, it tells you what the code you are writing does. And before you know it, by Chapter 7, you are writing strict XHTML 1.0 code. It sounds simplistic, but I've seen lots of books that simply throw the code at you and you are supposed to understand by osmosis, the force, or some deity exactly what you just wrote.
If there are any faults, Chapter 13 and 14 seem a bit out of place, but tables and forms are presented well. You'll also be chomping at the bit to learn CSS, but really have to wait until Chapter 8 -- this makes sense when you realize that the authors want you to get basic structure down before you tackle design.
Chapter 12 is worth the price of the book -- you can pretty much re-arrange some XHTML and CSS here and there and make a very professional page of your own. But by then, you really understand how everything works, so you can do a lot of educated tweaking.
Highly recommended -- would be a great textbook. As mentioned in other reviews, you might want to get a copy of the pocket references (you don't need the big versions after this book)for CSS and HTML/XHTML that O'Reilly puts out. They are about $10 US apiece and cover some of the few tags/selectors that the book doesn't cover.