Thinking
in
Java
Fourth Edition
Bruce Eckel
President, MindView, Inc.
Comments from readers:
Thinking In Java should be read cover to cover by every Java programmer, then kept close at
hand for frequent reference. The exercises are challenging, and the chapter on Collections is
superb! Not only did this book help me to pass the Sun Certified Java Programmer exam; it’s
also the first book I turn to whenever I have a Java question. Jim Pleger, Loudoun
County (Virginia) Government
Much better than any other Java book I’ve seen. Make that “by an order of magnitude”... very
complete, with excellent right-to-the-point examples and intelligent, not dumbed-down,
explanations ... In contrast to many other Java books I found it to be unusually mature,
consistent, intellectually honest, well-written and precise. IMHO, an ideal book for studying
Java. Anatoly Vorobey, Technion University, Haifa, Israel
One of the absolutely best programming tutorials I’ve seen for any language. Joakim
Ziegler, FIX sysop
Thank you for your wonderful, wonderful book on Java. Dr. Gavin Pillay, Registrar, King
Edward VIII Hospital, South Africa
Thank you again for your awesome book. I was really floundering (being a non-C
programmer), but your book has brought me up to speed as fast as I could read it. It’s really
cool to be able to understand the underlying principles and concepts from the start, rather
than having to try to build that conceptual model through trial and error. Hopefully I will be
able to attend your seminar in the not-too-distant future. Randall R. Hawley,
Automation Technician, Eli Lilly & Co.
The best computer book writing I have seen. Tom Holland
This is one of the best books I’ve read about a programming language… The best book ever
written on Java. Ravindra Pai, Oracle Corporation, SUNOS product line
This is the best book on Java that I have ever found! You have done a great job. Your depth is
amazing. I will be purchasing the book when it is published. I have been learning Java since
October 96. I have read a few books, and consider yours a “MUST READ.” These past few
months we have been focused on a product written entirely in Java. Your book has helped
solidify topics I was shaky on and has expanded my knowledge base. I have even used some
of your explanations as information in interviewing contractors to help our team. I have
found how much Java knowledge they have by asking them about things I have learned from
reading your book (e.g., the difference between arrays and Vectors). Your book is great!
Steve Wilkinson, Senior Staff Specialist, MCI Telecommunications
Great book. Best book on Java I have seen so far. Jeff Sinclair, Software Engineer,
Kestral Computing
Thank you for Thinking in Java. It’s time someone went beyond mere language description
to a thoughtful, penetrating analytic tutorial that doesn’t kowtow to The Manufacturers. I’ve
read almost all the others—only yours and Patrick Winston’s have found a place in my heart.
I’m already recommending it to customers. Thanks again. Richard Brooks, Java
Consultant, Sun Professional Services, Dallas
Bruce, your book is wonderful! Your explanations are clear and direct. Through your
fantastic book I have gained a tremendous amount of Java knowledge. The exercises are also
FANTASTIC and do an excellent job reinforcing the ideas explained throughout the chapters.
I look forward to reading more books written by you. Thank you for the tremendous service
that you are providing by writing such great books. My code will be much better after reading
Thinking in Java. I thank you and I’m sure any programmers who will have to maintain my
code are also grateful to you. Yvonne Watkins, Java Artisan, Discover Technologies,
Inc.
Other books cover the WHAT of Java (describing the syntax and the libraries) or the HOW of
Java (practical programming examples). Thinking in Java is the only book I know that
explains the WHY of Java; why it was designed the way it was, why it works the way it does,
why it sometimes doesn’t work, why it’s better than C++, why it’s not. Although it also does a
good job of teaching the what and how of the language, Thinking in Java is definitely the
thinking person’s choice in a Java book. Robert S. Stephenson
Thanks for writing a great book. The more I read it the better I like it. My students like it, too.
Chuck Iverson
I just want to commend you for your work on Thinking in Java. It is people like you that
dignify the future of the Internet and I just want to thank you for your effort. It is very much
appreciated. Patrick Barrell, Network Officer Mamco, QAF Mfg. Inc.
I really, really appreciate your enthusiasm and your work. I download every revision of your
online books and am looking into languages and exploring what I would never have dared
(C#, C++, Python, and Ruby, as a side effect). I have at least 15 other Java books (I needed 3
to make both JavaScript and PHP viable!) and subscriptions to Dr. Dobbs, JavaPro, JDJ,
JavaWorld, etc., as a result of my pursuit of Java (and Enterprise Java) and certification but I
still keep your book in higher esteem. It truly is a thinking man’s book. I subscribe to your
newsletter and hope to one day sit down and solve some of the problems you extend for the
solutions guides for you (I’ll buy the guides!) in appreciation. But in the meantime, thanks a
lot. Joshua Long, www.starbuxman.com
Most of the Java books out there are fine for a start, and most just have beginning stuff and a
lot of the same examples. Yours is by far the best advanced thinking book I’ve seen. Please
publish it soon! ... I also bought Thinking in C++ just because I was so impressed with
Thinking in Java. George Laframboise, LightWorx Technology Consulting, Inc.
I wrote to you earlier about my favorable impressions regarding your Thinking in C++ (a
book that stands prominently on my shelf here at work). And today I’ve been able to delve
into Java with your e-book in my virtual hand, and I must say (in my best Chevy Chase from
Modern Problems), “I like it!” Very informative and explanatory, without reading like a dry
textbook. You cover the most important yet the least covered concepts of Java development:
the whys. Sean Brady
I develop in both Java and C++, and both of your books have been lifesavers for me. If I am
stumped about a particular concept, I know that I can count on your books to a) explain the
thought to me clearly and b) have solid examples that pertain to what I am trying to
accomplish. I have yet to find another author that I continually whole-heartedly recommend
to anyone who is willing to listen. Josh Asbury, A^3 Software Consulting, Cincinnati,
Ohio
Your examples are clear and easy to understand. You took care of many important details of
Java that can’t be found easily in the weak Java documentation. And you don’t waste the
reader’s time with the basic facts a programmer already knows. Kai Engert, Innovative
Software, Germany
I’m a great fan of your Thinking in C++ and have recommended it to associates. As I go
through the electronic version of your Java book, I’m finding that you’ve retained the same
high level of writing. Thank you! Peter R. Neuwald
VERY well-written Java book...I think you’ve done a GREAT job on it. As the leader of a
Chicagoarea Java special interest group, I’ve favorably mentioned your book and Web site
several times at our recent meetings. I would like to use Thinking in Java as the basis for a
part of each monthly SIG meeting, in which we review and discuss each chapter in
succession. Mark Ertes
By the way, printed TIJ2 in Russian is still selling great, and remains bestseller. Learning
Java became synonym of reading TIJ2, isn’t that nice? Ivan Porty, translator and
publisher of Thinking in Java 2
nd Edition in Russian
I really appreciate your work and your book is good. I recommend it here to our users and
Ph.D. students. Hugues Leroy // Irisa-Inria Rennes France, Head of Scientific
Computing and Industrial Tranfert
OK, I’ve only read about 40 pages of Thinking in Java, but I’ve already found it to be the
most clearly written and presented programming book I’ve come across...and I’m a writer,
myself, so I am probably a little critical. I have Thinking in C++ on order and can’t wait to
crack it—I’m fairly new to programming and am hitting learning curves head-on everywhere.
So this is just a quick note to say thanks for your excellent work. I had begun to burn a little
low on enthusiasm from slogging through the mucky, murky prose of most computer books—
even ones that came with glowing recommendations. I feel a whole lot better now. Glenn
Becker, Educational Theatre Association
Thank you for making your wonderful book available. I have found it immensely useful in
finally understanding what I experienced as confusing in Java and C++. Reading your book
has been very satisfying. Felix Bizaoui, Twin Oaks Industries, Louisa, Va.
I must congratulate you on an excellent book. I decided to have a look at Thinking in Java
based on my experience with Thinking in C++, and I was not disappointed. Jaco van der
Merwe, Software Specialist, DataFusion Systems Ltd, Stellenbosch, South Africa
This has to be one of the best Java books I’ve seen. E.F. Pritchard, Senior Software
Engineer, Cambridge Animation Systems Ltd., United Kingdom
Your book makes all the other Java books I’ve read or flipped through seem doubly useless
and insulting. Brett Porter, Senior Programmer, Art & Logic
I have been reading your book for a week or two and compared to the books I have read
earlier on Java, your book seems to have given me a great start. I have recommended this
book to a lot of my friends and they have rated it excellent. Please accept my congratulations
for coming out with an excellent book. Rama Krishna Bhupathi, Software Engineer,
TCSI Corporation, San Jose
Just wanted to say what a “brilliant” piece of work your book is. I’ve been using it as a major
reference for in-house Java work. I find that the table of contents is just right for quickly
locating the section that is required. It’s also nice to see a book that is not just a rehash of the
API nor treats the programmer like a dummy. Grant Sayer, Java Components Group
Leader, Ceedata Systems Pty Ltd, Australia
Wow! A readable, in-depth Java book. There are a lot of poor (and admittedly a couple of
good) Java books out there, but from what I’ve seen yours is definitely one of the best. John
Root, Web Developer, Department of Social Security, London
I’ve just started Thinking in Java. I expect it to be very good because I really liked Thinking
in C++ (which I read as an experienced C++ programmer, trying to stay ahead of the curve)
… You are a wonderful author. Kevin K. Lewis, Technologist, ObjectSpace, Inc.
I think it’s a great book. I learned all I know about Java from this book. Thank you for
making it available for free over the Internet. If you wouldn’t have I’d know nothing about
Java at all. But the best thing is that your book isn’t a commercial brochure for Java. It also
shows the bad sides of Java. YOU have done a great job here. Frederik Fix, Belgium
I have been hooked to your books all the time. A couple of years ago, when I wanted to start
with C++, it was C++ Inside & Out which took me around the fascinating world of C++. It
helped me in getting better opportunities in life. Now, in pursuit of more knowledge and
when I wanted to learn Java, I bumped into Thinking in Java—no doubts in my mind as to
whether I need some other book. Just fantastic. It is more like rediscovering myself as I get
along with the book. It is just a month since I started with Java, and heartfelt thanks to you, I
am understanding it better now. Anand Kumar S., Software Engineer,
Computervision, India
Your book stands out as an excellent general introduction. Peter Robinson, University of
Cambridge Computer Laboratory
It’s by far the best material I have come across to help me learn Java and I just want you to
know how lucky I feel to have found it. THANKS! Chuck Peterson, Product Leader,
Internet Product Line, IVIS International
The book is great. It’s the third book on Java I’ve started and I’m about two-thirds of the way
through it now. I plan to finish this one. I found out about it because it is used in some
internal classes at Lucent Technologies and a friend told me the book was on the Net. Good
work. Jerry Nowlin, MTS, Lucent Technologies
Of the six or so Java books I’ve accumulated to date, your Thinking in Java is by far the best
and clearest. Michael Van Waas, Ph.D., President, TMR Associates
I just want to say thanks for Thinking in Java. What a wonderful book you’ve made here! Not
to mention downloadable for free! As a student I find your books invaluable (I have a copy of
C++ Inside Out, another great book about C++), because they not only teach me the how-to,
but also the whys, which are of course very important in building a strong foundation in
languages such as C++ or Java. I have quite a lot of friends here who love programming just
as I do, and I’ve told them about your books. They think it’s great! Thanks again! By the way,
I’m Indonesian and I live in Java. Ray Frederick Djajadinata, Student at Trisakti
University, Jakarta
The mere fact that you have made this work free over the Net puts me into shock. I thought
I’d let you know how much I appreciate and respect what you’re doing. Shane
LeBouthillier, Computer Engineering student, University of Alberta, Canada
I have to tell you how much I look forward to reading your monthly column. As a newbie to
the world of object oriented programming, I appreciate the time and thoughtfulness that you
give to even the most elementary topic. I have downloaded your book, but you can bet that I
will purchase the hard copy when it is published. Thanks for all of your help. Dan Cashmer,
B. C. Ziegler & Co.
Just want to congratulate you on a job well done. First I stumbled upon the PDF version of
Thinking in Java. Even before I finished reading it, I ran to the store and found Thinking in
C++. Now, I have been in the computer business for over eight years, as a consultant,
software engineer, teacher/trainer, and recently as self-employed, so I’d like to think that I
have seen enough (not “have seen it all,” mind you, but enough). However, these books cause
my girlfriend to call me a ”geek.” Not that I have anything against the concept—it is just that I
thought this phase was well beyond me. But I find myself truly enjoying both books, like no
other computer book I have touched or bought so far. Excellent writing style, very nice
introduction of every new topic, and lots of wisdom in the books. Well done. Simon
Goland, simonsez@smartt.com, Simon Says Consulting, Inc.
