java book?

Lab_Mouse

Could anybody recommend a good java book for beginners?Im hoping to do a java course in the new and want to get a head start.

thanks in advance

Ludo

A good free start would be Thinking in Java.

There is a free version to download on that site...dont have the exact link now as the site is either down right now or is banned here in work. Google it and there will be plenty of places to download it from. Plenty of better books out there but this one is free.

-Trek-

Java: How to program by Deitel is also a very good book. I think you will find out for yourself after a while though that there will be no one book that will do it for you, and will probally end up going through quite a few.

Lab_Mouse

yeah done a bit of C++ a few years back on my own and ended up getting a few books.

thanks for the replys.

FruitLover

I wouldn't recommend Thinking in Java to an absolute beginner, but if you're handy with C++ it's a good choice. Older editions are free, but might not cover newer java features such as generics.

k.p.h

Do you really need a book now days ..? So much info/tutorials out their for free on the net. Youtube is worth a look also ..

Malice

k.p.h wrote: »

Do you really need a book now days ..? So much info/tutorials out their for free on the net.

That's true to an extent but if you're a newbie you won't know what's a good tutorial versus a bad one and I've definitely seen a lot of bad tutorials! At least with a book you can trawl around different sites reading reviews.

alb

I would recommend Head First Java by Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates , and steer clear of Deitel.

Lab_Mouse

prefer to learn from books.Dont have 2 monitors so cant have a tutourial open and netbeans without feeling squashed:)

damoth

alb wrote: »

I would recommend Head First Java by Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates , and steer clear of Deitel.

I'd recommend this. Excellent book for a beginner.

Stuxnet

alb wrote: »

I would recommend Head First Java by Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates , and steer clear of Deitel.

i can reccomend this book also, i had to repeat my first year exam in java over the summer and i bought this book, its brill, ive bought quite a few head first series now, as they are just fantastic, humorous and "brain friendly"

-Trek-

alb wrote: »

I would recommend Head First Java by Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates , and steer clear of Deitel.

HF java is where I started, found it OK to start with, seems to use a lot more visual cues, which actually helped me in understanding what OOP is all about.

I'm interested in why you said stay clear of deitel, I found it good, has plenty code examples with loads of comments to explain what's going on along the way. Maybe a bit dry for an absolute beginner, but I definitely wouldn't rule it out to help fill any gaps.

Huawei Gallagher

I liked "Java- In easy steps" by Mike McGrath. Its very suitable for a beginner, is not dry, and has some colour in it! Its normally available here in PC World, normal bookshops too.

I would reccomend downloading Eclipse to write and run your code instead of using a command line like it says in the book though.

Lab_Mouse

well I ended up getting headfirst java.Thanks for the heads up on it

Enjoying and it is a different approach to some of the books I have on C++.

just getting use to the netbeans and ironing out my synthax errors(damn curly brackets and these feckers-> ;:pac:

Groinshot

I was just going to post again and recommend Deitel

web designer meath

Java for Dummies - I love these books; written for the layman.