Book Reviews

Book Reviews

What's hot, and what's not? Our reviews help you decide what's right for you before you spend your hard-earned money or time on books that just aren't right for you.

Books

CSS

Cascading Style Sheets - Designing for the Web
Written by the creators of CSS (Hakon Wium Lie and Bert Bos), this book covers all aspects of CSS, beginning with the basics, such as the anatomy of a rule, linking styles sheets to documents and progressing to more advanced topics. By Lee Underwood. January 27, 2006

Eric Meyer on CSS: Mastering the Language of Web Design
We review Eric Meyer's latest book on CSS. The master is back, blazing a bug-free path through the maze we know as CSS.

(X)HTML/CSS

Integrated HTML and CSS
Traditionally, when learning to code Web pages, HTML is taught first, followed by CSS. However, since both are related, it would make more sense to teach them both at the same time. In this book, HTML and CSS are taught together, making them easier to learn. Designed with the beginner in mind, this book assumes no prior knowledge of HTML or CSS.

Graphics

Color Voodoo
Jill Morton's series of Color Voodoo e-books guide Web developers through the use of color in a concise, richly-illustrated, color-accurate Web format.

Texturing: Concepts and Techniques
This book revisits the topic of textures in this latest offering by Charles River Media. If you've been looking for a text on the subject of textures, this could be the book for you.

JavaScript

JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 4th Ed.
David Flanagan's newest edition is three years in the making, and it shows. Now emphasizing standards over specific browser quirks this definitive reference should be on the shelf of every JavaScript programmer.

XML

XML: A Primer
This book offers a big picture view of XML, it's relationship to existing markup languages, and how XML will be used in the real world.

Miscellaneous

Access by Design: A Guide to Universal Usability for Web Designers
For some Web designers, accessibility and usability are dirty words, creating the idea that many hours of intensive work are involved. In reality, it's not hard to make a Web site accessible. To prove it, Sarah Horton has written a book about the subject, and when it comes to accessibility and usability, she seems to know her stuff. By Lee Underwood, November 4, 2005

Adobe Creative Suite 2 (Classroom in a Book)
Adobe Creative Suite 2 (CS2) has been released to many enthusiastic users and with that release is the companion "Classroom in a Book" title, published by Peachpit. This review looks at the parts of the book containing the most relevance for Web developers. By Nathan Segal. October 25, 2005

Spring Into Technical Writing for Engineers and Scientists
As Web design professionals, we often need to do some form of writing. Since we design and code for a living, many of us aren't sure where to begin. This book gives you the necessary tools using short, concise, fast-paced tutorials. By Lee Underwood. July 18, 2005

Constructing Accessible Web Sites
Vint Cerf says the Internet is for everybody. This book will help that goal become a reality. Everything from legal issues, technology, accessible content, navigation, and data input to testing for Section 508 compliance are covered in this 415 page book.

Designing Easy-to-Use Websites
IBM usability guru Venessa Donnelly gives a more structured approach to usability using methods borrowed from the software development world. Also includes an interview.

Getting a Job in CG: Real Advice from Reel People
A joint effort between Sybex and Maya Press, Getting a Job in CG offers valuable information that can help land you that dream job.

The GigaLaw Guide to Internet Law
Can't tell your copyright from your copyleft? Cybersquatters got you down? Have we got the guide for you. Doug Isenberg's new book on cyberlaw shows the way through the legal minefield.

Hot Text: Web Writing That Works
Learn how to grab your audience's attention and never let it go. Based on extensive research, this book is a fun yet in-depth how-to guide for effective writing on the Web.

Web ReDesign 2.0 | Workflow that Works
Redesigning a Web site can be a daunting task. Whether it's one that you created or one that you've inherited, if the redesign process is not approached in a logical, well thought out manner, it can lead to some major headaches. What is necessary is a guide to lead you through the process, written by someone who has been there. Well, your guide has arrived in the form of this book. It covers the entire redesign process from beginning to end.

"Web Services: A Technical Introduction"
Now that Web services passed the peak of the hype curve, Prentice Hall's Deitel Developer Series provides a technical introduction to Web services, business models, vendors, products, as well as base technology.

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