Looking for a good book on C#

  • I'm looking for a good beginner-intermediate book on C# and .net (preferably 3.5).

    I dabbled with C# shortly after it came out but never really learned the language well. I've got coding expereince in C++ and Java, so I'm not a complete novice.

    Suggestions?

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • check out the one from Wrox

  • Which one? Amazon lists well over 100 books on C# published by Wrox

    Why do you recommend it?

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • http://www.bookpool.com/sm/047019135X

    if you are in the northeast, check out bookpool. cheaper than amazon

  • I use

    Microsoft® Visual C#® 2005 Step by Step

    Is really useful if you have experience in another language and want to get a good understanding of C#

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Visual-C-2005-Step/dp/0735621292/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214315454&sr=8-1">

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Visual-C-2005-Step/dp/0735621292/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214315454&sr=8-1

  • Wrox : Professional C# 2008

    Coming from a C++ background, I found the 2005 version of this really helpful (apart from the numerous typos)

    ____________________________________________________

    Deja View - The strange feeling that somewhere, sometime you've optimised this query before

    How to get the best help on a forum

    http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537
  • I have three books because 3.5 is just some development platforms on 2.0 so the first two are in depth C# 2.0 books, while the third covers C# both 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5. I have not seen the third but if you can browse all three and buy two so you will get very good foundation on the language and the whole .NET framework in reference to C#.

    On a side note C# step by step version one was not a good book, buying the first version of the second book on my list changed everything because the writer is a C based languages expert.

    http://www.amazon.com/CLR-via-Second-Pro-Developer/dp/0735621632

    http://www.amazon.com/C-2-0-Complete-Reference/dp/0072262095

    http://www.amazon.com/C-Depth-What-need-master/dp/1933988363

    Kind regards,
    Gift Peddie

  • Thanks. I'll check those out.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • The Head First series by O'Reilly is good. The books use a lot of visuals (not screen shots) and variability in presenting information. Granted, I slid into IT through the graphic communications chute, so I like visuals a lot. Ok, I need visuals, or I have to draw the pictures myself, and that's just no good.

    At any rate, I've found the Head First C# book to be worthwhile for training, though you'll need the C# doorstop reference to go with it.

    As a side note, at times the prose can be overdone.

  • It is covering too many things in C# you need to start with books that just covers the language from experts of the language. If you are interested in Winform get some books for that, same thing with LINQ.

    http://www.amazon.com/Head-First-C-Brain-Friendly-Guides/dp/0596514824

    Kind regards,
    Gift Peddie

  • Gail,

    I'd be interested to know which one you pick. I looked at an O'Reilly one and went through it in 2000/2001, but then got distracted with some VB.NET. Would like to get back to C# at some point.

  • Leslieo (6/25/2008)


    At any rate, I've found the Head First C# book to be worthwhile for training, though you'll need the C# doorstop reference to go with it.

    I've used the Java headfirst and it was good to get a quick overview f the language. However I'm looking for something a little meatier for C#

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • I think the 'Head First C#' book is actually very good. Here is some info:

    Head First C#

    by Andrew Stellman; Jennifer Greene

    Publisher: O'Reilly

    Pub Date: November 26, 2007

    Print ISBN-10: 0-596-51482-4

    Print ISBN-13: 978-0-596-51482-2

    Pages: 778

    Overview

    Do you want to learn C#? Programmers around the world have learned that C# lets them design great-looking programs and build them fast. With C#, you ve got a powerful programming language and a valuable tool at your fingertips. And with the Visual Studio IDE, you ll never have to spend hours writing obscure code just to get a button working. C#, Visual Studio and .NET take care of the grunt-work, and let you focus on the interesting parts of getting your programs written. Sound appealing? Unlike other C# books, which just show you examples and expect you to just memorize them and move on, Head First C# gets you writing code from the beginning. You're given the tools you need, and then you're guided through fun and engaging programming projects. You'll build programs to play a card game, explore a house, and help lazy programmers manage their sick day excuses. But it's not all fun and games: you'll build business applications too, like a contact database and a program to help a party planner estimate her dinner parties. You'll build a dungeon role-playing game and a fully animated, colorful simulation of a beehive. And by the end of the book, you'll build a fast-paced, full-featured retro Invaders arcade game. Make no mistake: by the time you're done with Head First C#, you'll be able to build full-scale, complex, and highly visual programs. And you'll have all of the C# tools you need to tackle almost any programming problem that comes your way. Head First C# is built for your brain, using the revolutionary approach that was pioneered by the highly acclaimed and popular Head First series. You'll never get that bored, "eyes glazed over" feeling from Head First C#, because it guides you through one challenging project after another until, by the end of the book, you're a C# rock star!

    Throughout the book, you'll confront and conquer advanced C# concepts. Some of the most mysterious ideas are demystified and explained with clear examples: how Unicode works, events and delegates, references versus value types, the stack versus the heap, what's really going on with garbage collection, and more. Thousands of readers have learned C# using this innovative book, including: Head First C# is built to work with any version of Visual Studio 2008, including the free express edition. (It can also can be used with any version of Visual Studio 2005.)

  • You have actually covered all the reasons it is a crappy book for someone who want to know C# the language which is huge because it is standardized. I moderate the C# general forum at MSDN because I focus on SQL Server and Asp.net and I am not a purist.

    I also have MCPD Web C# the language exam 70-536 covers so much material but if you read one of the first two books I recommended you only need a good practice exam because everything you need is covered by both in depth.

    Kind regards,
    Gift Peddie

  • I used this one.

    http://www.compman.co.uk/scripts/browse.asp?ref=742103

    I'm used to code in VB background but this book got me up and running in C# in pretty quick time.

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