'The' definitive C++ book?

Christian Graus

I absolutely agree with the other poster re: C++ Unleashed, but when you say 'definitive', there can be only one answer. The one book to turn to if I want to know anything specific to C++ is "The C++ Programming Language", by Bjarne Stroustrup, of course. I mean, who would you trust over Bjarne when it comes to C++ ? Christian The content of this post is not necessarily the opinion of my yadda yadda yadda. To understand recursion, we must first understand recursion.

Kannan Kalyanaraman

Thinking in C++ by Bruce Eickel is a excellent read. http://www.bruceeckel.com/ThinkingInCPP2e.html

Ivan Wootton

It is so hard to find a good computing book where every detail in it is correct. Putting trust in something and then half an hour later finding out that the assumption from the book is indeed incorrect is one of my banes. It almost becomes quicker to perform some trial and error to find out the result yourself. Another problem I find with books is that the author simply copies information from another book, or the MSDN library for that matter, and then publishes it to make a quick buck. I hope authors put more time into the information they present as fact.

Erik Funkenbusch

Oooh.. let me dig into my extensive collection: First and foremost: 1) The C++ Programming Language by Bjarne Stroustrup, Third Edition, Addison Wesley 2) The C++ Standard Library : A Tutorial and Reference by Nicolai M. Josuttis, Addison-Wesley 3) Standard C++ IOStreams and Locales: Advanced Programmer's Guide and Reference by Angelika Langer and Klaus Kreft, Addison-Wesley 4) Exceptional C++: 47 Engineering Puzzles, Programming Problems, and Solutions by Herb Sutter, Addison-Wesley 5) Modern C++ Design: Generic Programming and Design Patterns Applied by Andrei Alexandrescu, Addison Wesley 6) Accelerated C++: Practical Programming by Example (C++ In-Depth Series) by Andrew Koenig, Barbara E. Moo 7) Essential C++ (C++ In-Depth Series)by Stanley B. Lippman, Addison Wesley 8) Generic Programming and the Stl : Using and Extending the C++ Standard Template Library (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series)by Matthew H. Austern, Addison Wesley 9) C++ Gems by Stanley B. Lippman (Editor), Stan Lippman And though it's not technically about C++, it's still a must-have for any serious programmer in C++: 10) Design Patterns by Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, John Vlissides, Grady Booch (Designer) These are the books I can wholeheartedly recommend from my personal library. Another book I have an eye on but haven't read: The C++ Standard Template Library by P. J. Plauger, Alexander A. Stepanov, Meng Lee, David R. Musser, Prentice Hall PTR This is basically the Stroustrup of the STL. It's all reference, not tutorial.

Vagif Abilov

Thinking in C++, by Bruce Eckel 12) Effective C++ and More Effective C++, by Scott Meyers Just my 2 cents Win32/ATL/MFC Developer Oslo, Norway

Lost User

Chris, I highly recommend accu's book recommendations: http://www.accu.org/. Tim :cool:

Erik Funkenbusch

While Thinking in C++ is a good book, it's not what i'd call a "definitive" book on any subject. It's a tutorial (and a good one), but not something of the caliber of the other books I discussed. You're right about Scott Myers books. They're also good, and they belong on any C++ programmers shelf, but they're more "rule of thumb" books than "definitive" works.

Amit Dey

I thought Robert Lafore's OO programming in Microsoft C++ made a good reading. :)

jkgh

Seconded .. can be previewed in its entirity on a pdf site and in HTML on Bruces site. Just put "thinking in C++" into google. Watch out for the Granny print (inch high letters)! ATL Student :rolleyes:

Anders Molin

Yup, "The C++ Programming Language" is a great book, but not one I would recommend for beginners. It's not a tutorial like "Thinking in C++" is, it's more a reference... Anyway, it's the best single book for C++ that I have read ;) - Anders

Christian Graus

I agree on every front, which is why I said I chose it because the question was 'definitive'. It is that, even if it's not exactly a good first text for an inexperienced or new programmer. Christian The content of this post is not necessarily the opinion of my yadda yadda yadda. To understand recursion, we must first understand recursion.

Sandu Turcan

Yes, I agree. THE book and THE author.

Lost User

Wow, That is a really impressive list of books (on just two subjects C++/STL). But where do you get the time to read them? Stephen Kellett

Erik Funkenbusch

Well, I don't always read every page. But quite often I take a book on flights or in the bathroom and read a few pages here and there. I also read before bed, and try to spend a few hours reading every week. Most of these books are broken up into chapters or sections that are easy to digest at a single sitting and don't really require you to read more than the first few chapters to be able to go anywhere in the book and read.

Lost User

the time to read them and the money to buy them!!!:) gabriel