I think some other reviewers have been a little harsh in their treatment of the book. The important thing to note is that this is a reference and not a tutor. I initially found the text somewhat impenetrable until I first read "Learning Perl" and then found Programming Perl to be a valuable reference. I do agree that the style does interfere with the clarity but this is not a fatal error. In comparison, Programming Python is a much more readable book rendering Learning Python a helpful aid rather than a necessity. Similarly, I found the Perl Cookbook to also be clear, to the point and easy to read. One other text I'd suggest as a companion to Programming Perl is the thoroughly excellent Mastering Regular Expressions (my favourite O'Reilly book).

Bottom Line: Learning Perl? - Get "Learning Perl" FIRST!