(picture refers to the cover of a later version of the book) My approach to C++ was of unbound enthusiasm, until I started using it intensively. Then I got a more fair perspective on the language. Although it is still my language of choice (and it will likely be for a while) it is far from the elegance and simplicity that were the hallmark of the C language.After learning the ins and outs of the standardized C++, you’ll discover that the modern C++ language is a complex, heterogeneous, large pile of different bits and stuff patched together. The standardization process did no good to this and when you go in details of the standard C++ library all the mismatching comes to light.
Covering the whole standard C++ library is a daunting task, but this book does an excellent job. The aim of the book is to provide both a reference and a tutorial. Despite of these two, somewhat opposite, goals the result is very good. When you read it as a tutorial you can skim over the reference parts, glancing through tables and summaries since you just read the real stuff. When you use it as a tutorial you’ll find plenty of cross-reference both to descriptions and examples.
The only lacking in the book, by admission of the author himself, is about the io/stream section of the library which is not discussed in fine details. Anyway I found it very complete covering all the common and a good deal of the not-so-common usage of the everyday usage.
If you are going the C++ way and you’re already a programmer I strongly recommend this book along with “The C++ Language” by Stroustrup.