Reader reviews

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

I read this over a couple of weekends alongside a small side project, which turned out to be the ideal way to approach it. Some terminology is introduced without much ceremony; I had to look a few things up along the way. Some of the material is available elsewhere, but rarely presented this clearly. The early chapters move quickly through material I already knew, but the later sections were genuinely new to me. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.

Strong content, uneven pacing. I would still recommend it.

I have been working with javascript for a few years now and I still found plenty here that was new to me. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. It is denser than the page count suggests, and I found myself slowing down around the middle. Worth picking up if you already have the basics. Set realistic expectations and you will get a lot out of it.

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

There is a particular kind of technical book that is dense without being difficult, and this is one of them. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.

This is the one to get if you are serious about javascript.

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. Some of the material is available elsewhere, but rarely presented this clearly. The index and cross-references are surprisingly good, which matters for a book I will come back to. The author avoids over-explaining, which keeps the pace up but means you need to pay attention. Worth the money and the reading time, without hesitation.

Mixed feelings. The good parts are genuinely good; the rest is forgettable.

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. Some of the material is available elsewhere, but rarely presented this clearly. The code samples assume a particular environment, which took a bit of fiddling to get running properly. Some of the diagrams are dense and I had to reread a few sections, though that may just be me. Three stars feels about right. It will stay on my shelf, but it will not be the first one I reach for.

An enjoyable and informative read, though it could have been shorter.

This is the third book I have read on kinematics this year, and it is comfortably the best of them. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. A couple of chapters felt like they could have been merged, but that is a minor complaint. Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a gentle introduction.