FINALLY - a Java book written the way I would'a wrote it if I were me.
Seriously though - this book absolutely blows away every other software book I've ever read (except for maybe Bruce Eckle's).
I'd like to comment on why I think this book is so effective. The visuals, interesting style and tone, the constant change of pace... all that is obvious. But the most unique thing about this book is the fact that the authors took the "learner's natural path of development" into account, and catered to it. For example, almost as soon as a question pops into your mind... they recognize and address it! Contrast this with the more typical approach, which is to first drown the reader in enterprise buzzwords and abstract concepts (so that you know how smart the author is... and how dumb you are!), then on page 500 get down to something a little bit practical (and don't explain it too much, just give some examples and claim the reader should be able to figure it out for himself). I never understood this kind of writing. Even if the reader has the capability to survive such an exercise... who has the time? And who wants to WASTE the time, when more efficient techniques could have been choosen.
Now back to Head First EJB. Each issue is reviewed several times (if it's complexity warrants), and each time the issue is addressed, it's from a different angle. This prompts the reader to actually think about the subject matter rather than just memorizing. Often I'm surprised at not understanding something that I really already understand, simply because it's presented from a different point of view the second time around. But this only deepens my understanding of the issue!
A good book is very difficult to write. Not only do you have to have a deep understanding of the technology, you also have to take a lot of time to make things unfold in a natural, "reader oriented" sequence. It's a lot of work. Most authors clearly aren't up to the challenge. Congratulations to the Head First EJB team for a first class job!
P.S. When is Head First J2EE architect coming out! And Head First Web Component Developer! And how can I make my VCR record a football game while I'm at work?
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