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: THE book for learning HTML/XHTML and CSS
Summary: 5 Stars
This is without doubt the best book I've ever seen for learning HTML, XHTML and CSS. If you take the proper time and work through this book exactly how you're supposed to, you will probably know more than the average "professional" who claims to know HTML (at least from my experience).
Too many people mistakenly believe that HTML is so straight-forward that there's not much to learn -- even people that could (in other computing fields) legitimately be called experts. By not learning HTML properly, though, web projects take longer, are difficult to maintain and end up being unnecessarily complicated. Getting the project to run correctly on all browsers, for instance, becomes a "nightmare" - instead of something that is really easily solved.
This book explains XHTML so clearly that you'll side-step problems without ever knowing they existed.
The only danger is that some impatient readers may think it's TOO easy. All of the pictures (which are actually a memory aid) and the slow pace the book begins at, may lead some people to think they understand it all, and then start skipping chapters or not finishing the book -- but that's a problem with the student, not the teacher!
If only everyone who writes HTML at any level worked through this book: Website production would go so much smoother and quicker, and the internet would be a better place for us all to browse!
One final note: This book is NOT a reference guide! It's a teaching course. If you're looking for a reference, then I'd suggest something else (but NOT Wrox's HTML reference).
If you're looking to learn and master HTML, XHTML and CSS then BUY THIS BOOK!
Book Review: Great for Beginners to Novices
Summary: 5 Stars
While I took issue with the Head First PHP MySQL book, I gave this book on (X)HTML and CSS a chance and couldn't be happier. Over a break from school I flew through this book and feel like I really understand and can recall most of the information. While it starts with HTML 4.01 and some seemingly childish metaphors that may bore you, if you go through the entire book it will all fall into place. I was having a hard time learning CSS on my own and the DOCTYPE stuff with the HTML was something I just couldn't figure out. This takes all of the thinking out of it by simply explaining that "You do this once, and then copy/pasta into your documents as you go".
Something I was worried about was being required to follow the examples as I went through. If you don't feel like downloading and messing around with their example sites (which are VERY good, by the way), it's easy enough to create a simple personal webpage (I put a CV, links to my twitter, things a potential employer might be interested in) and just follow along.
The short of it: This book is definitely for someone with minimal web design experience. If you don't know the difference between a div and a span, or what an element is. If you have never looked at a stylesheet or still are not sure what the cascade is. If you want to feel like someone is teaching you personally, this recreates the effect very well. You'll learn the very bottom-basics about XHTML and web standards and CSS, then move up to designing professional looking web pages in the vein of corporate america as well as hip, chic small businesses. This book will get you up to speed quickly and correctly.
Book Review: Great Book for Beginners and Also for Refreshers
Summary: 5 Stars
I ordered this book to help my wife learn HTML and CSS, as she wants to start creating web pages/sites. Although I'm not a web developer/designer myself, I work in the IT industry and would rate my pre-existing HTML/CSS knowledge at about 4 out of 10. Based on the excerpts, it looked like the book would be an easy read and would be an easy way for my wife to get started with the basics. When I looked through the book, I found it to be written in an extremely friendly and very engaging format. I originally told myself that I was more interested in the authors' delivery methods than the content itself, but low and behold, I found myself learning more and more about the subject content without really trying to do so.
I'm currently away from home on a business trip, and my wife just mentioned that she's spending as much time with the book as she can now, because she suspects that I'll be "borrowing" it again once I get back home... I think she's right.
As others have indicated, this isn't a true "reference" book, but if you're looking for an easy and engaging read to learn the basics of HTML and CSS, or maybe refresh/expand on a limited understanding of the subject, this book does make it easy and fun. However, I also want to mention that the authors do spend a lot of time making sure that the reader is learning "proper" HTML/CSS methods - so the subject is also well detailed.
This is the first "Head First" series book that I've seen, but based on what I've seen from this book, I'm certain that I'll be ordering some of the other "Head First" series on other topics as well. 5 stars!
Book Review: a no no
Summary: 1 Stars
i bought this item because the reviews were great. then i returned the item 3 days later. this book is not for regular people. it is written as if the reader has just seen the computer a month ago and doesnt even know how the web works.it wastes a lot of time explaining in layman terms. and i dont know if it is a html book or how the web or business works tutorial. even on that it fails miserably.if u dont have a simplest of ideas abt computer or web, this is not the one to start. and if u have some, this is not where u would want to start.for someone who has some ideas, there are lot of better books out there.it would not be ethical to name them here. write me if u want the names. one better way is to do some research . some websites, they allow u to see some sample pages from the book. even a couple of pages, and u will know how goood the book is.
if u belong to the other half, the ones who are trying to get into the computer and web world,its not a good idea to go to designing webpages right away. if u want a webpage just for fun/hobby or really small businesses and have a really small budget, there are lots of sites out there who provide real html templates for prices lesser than this book.
i can tell u some if u write me. again its not right to advertise someone here.u can do some research. u will find plenty.or u can go to a website that resembles ur ideal site, click on the "page" tab of ur browser window and click on "view source". on the new text window that opens, u can find the designer's web site address.
Book Review: I've never had this much fun learning
Summary: 5 Stars
This is just an awesome way to learn. If you feel like you need a college course or a lame textbook to learn quality, useful, standard-compliant HTML, XHTML, and CSS, you are dead wrong. I have only been reading this book for two days and I am already 265 pages in! I feel like I could already start building decent webpages.
To everyone who trashes this book based on its lack of a solid index or use as a reference for later, yes, you are correct. Unfortunately, this is something that will basically lose its value after the first time you read it. There is a lot of redundant information scattered throughout the book, and a lot of basic concepts are reinforced again and again. You won't read through it a second time learning anything new.
However, this is okay. The book still deserves the five-star rating I am giving it. Why? Because it wasn't INTENDED to be a reference book; it was meant to be an EFFECTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE that takes you through the concepts and makes sure that you learn them so well now that you shouldn't ever need to revisit the basics again.
But PLEASE don't get me wrong; EVERYTHING you need to start building web pages is IN THIS BOOK! After you read it, you will be able to pick up a more advanced reference or find stuff on the web to do fancier things. Also, again, everything you read here is rock-solid, standards-compliant html. You're not riding on training wheels you have to take off later. This is the real deal.
Bottom line: Get it!