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Book:   Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML
Subject:   Great book for design-mode fujitives
Date:   2007-02-01 13:21:54
From:   George Beinhorn
Rating:  StarStarStarStarStar

I spent five years designing table-based sites using Dreamweaver's Design Mode, during which I aged 10 years and pulled a bushel of hair. Recognizing at last - doh - that CSS/XHTML would give me wonderful control, I purchased four books and grimly vowed that I would learn HTML or die.

As it turned out, the experience was not grim. Three of the books were quite useful - but this was, by far, the best. (The others were Creating a Web Page With HTML, a really good 126-pg. quick tutorial by Elizabeth Castro; and CSS: The Missing Manual. I found Elizabeth Castro's longer book, HTML, XHTML, & CSS, less useful, as it contained little material that wasn't covered in the other two books).

I was initially a bit dumfounded by the simple language of the Head First book, but quickly accepted the Freemans' explanation of the underlying tested learning principles. And, indeed, I learned better with this book. Occasionally, I'll need to look in the Missing Manual - e.g., it includes more information on workarounds for Internet Explorer. But in all other respects, this is simply a wonderful introduction to HTML for beginners. I think it would also be excellent for designers who want to learn the basics of coding.

I'm still using Dreamweaver, but I'm screaming much less.

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"Someone finally wrote a good book on HTML, CSS & XHTML... If you're serious and want to really know how to use HTML, CSS and XHTML - get this book. No others. This one. Really."
--Taran Rampersad, KnowProSE.com