Reader reviews

Very good, with a few caveats. The core material is strong.

I have been working with parallel programming for a few years now and I still found plenty here that was new to me. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. The chapters on parallel programming are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.

Three stars feels about right. Useful, but not essential.

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. The examples are small enough to type out and experiment with, which is exactly what I want from a book like this. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. Fine, but there are stronger books on the same subject if you look around.

A worthwhile addition to my shelf, with realistic expectations.

I read this over a couple of weekends alongside a small side project, which turned out to be the ideal way to approach it. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. The chapters on user experience are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. A good addition to a technical library, as long as you know what you are buying.

Almost excellent. A second edition could easily push it to five stars.

I picked this up after getting stuck on a project and it turned out to be exactly the right book at the right time. The author avoids over-explaining, which keeps the pace up but means you need to pay attention. The exercises at the end of each chapter are worth doing — they caught a few misconceptions I did not know I had. Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a gentle introduction.

Finally, a book that treats javascript with the care it deserves.

I bought this on a whim after seeing it mentioned in a forum thread, and I am glad I did. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. An easy five stars from me. I look forward to whatever the author writes next.

Better than I expected. Rare to find a technical book this well judged.

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. Some terminology is introduced without much ceremony; I had to look a few things up along the way. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. Worth the money and the reading time, without hesitation.