Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!bionet!ames!lll-winken!uunet!ficc!walker
From: walker@ficc.uu.net (Walker Mangum)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: Wanted: advice on a good C textbook
Summary: Also get _The C Puzzle Book_
Message-ID: <5005@ficc.uu.net>
Date: 14 Jul 89 13:53:55 GMT
References: <2790@ssc-vax.UUCP>
Organization: Adytum, Inc.
Lines: 38

In article <2790@ssc-vax.UUCP>, dmg@ssc-vax.UUCP (David Geary) writes:
> In article <12509209925025@osu-20.ircc.ohio-state.edu>, Drew Betz writes:
>                             What I need is a good intro book to C
> + programming and I don't know what's good and what's not.  I'd
> + appreciate any suggestions (hint: NOT Kernighan & Ritchie, please)
> 
>   One of the best books out (IMHO) for someone such as yourself would be:
> 
>   C: Step-by-Step
>   by The Waite Group
> 

I *highly* recommend _The C Puzzle Book_.  I have long since passed mine
to someone else, and I don't remember who wrote/published it.  It is 
almost like one of the old "workbooks" you had in elementary school.  
It contains nothing but C statements and expressions, and the reader must
solve each of them as a puzzle.  It does not contain any actual C language
definition or explanation, just a zillion puzzles.  And the puzzles are
somewhat entertaining - you will find yourself saying "awww, yeahhhh,
I should know that...." a lot.  Most important, the puzzles drill the
language into you well enough to make you fairly proficient.

Each chapter of the book introduces new language features.  The puzzles
in each section begin with easy ones and progress to quite difficult
levels.  When you complete the book, you will have rather vigorously
exercised your own new knowledge of C, and will be (IMHO) far ahead of
where you would be if you only read a language primer and hacked a few
simple programs of your own.

Don't write the answers in your book, however (the answers to all of the
puzzles ARE in the back), since you will want to pass the book around to
others........

-- 
Walker Mangum                                  |  Adytum, Incorporated
phone: (713) 333-1509                          |  1100 NASA Road One  
UUCP:  uunet!ficc!walker  (walker@ficc.uu.net) |  Houston, TX  77058
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