Can anyone recommend a book to learn to program in Java?

[Jenn in CA]

My son has had C, C++, and is currently enrolled in Visual Basic and an introductory Java course. He needs more material to make the Java course an entire semester, or year ideally.

Thanks!

[Musicmom]

My ds enjoyed Java for Dummies.

[Gwen in VA]

I know what book to NOT recommend -- JAVA Methods A & AB!

It's an AP text. My dh (computer engineer) and ds (had already learned C+ and Visual Basic and taught himself a few other weird languages) thought that they could "have fun" working through the first half of the book.

Not so -- My son spent hours and hours trying to figure out how to access files and libraries. The text is half online, so he cna't even READ the book without having to deal with some of these parts that are buried. My dh can always find them, but ds wants to be able to do the work without dh sitting right next to him!

So we have dropped JAVA for the moment and will return to it later in the year..... :ack2:

[Jenn in CA]

Yikes, that sounds scary. I'll stay away from that book!

Gwen, your son sounds like mine. I'd like my son to have a semester class in the spring, some sort of programming, ideally something he can teach himself from a book. He has a heavy CC load, and it needs to be fairly easy.

Any suggestions? He's had C, C++, and VB at the CC. Currently in an online Java class, which is pretty light. Perhaps he could continue it next semester on his own, w/a book, but I'm open to other ideas too.

[Jenn in CA]

Thanks! Will look at it. Does it have exercise or project ideas?

[Laura in CA]

Do you already have the book by Deitel, Java: How to Program? I got it because it was used in an online class. A friend of mine is teaching herself Java (for work) and she recommended Java: An Introduction to Problem Solving & Programming, 5/e, by Walter Savitch and Frank Carrano. It has a lot of self-test questions (with answers) and a lot of exercises.