Ruminations on C++: A Decade of Programming Insight and Experience

While this book came out before the ISO C++ (99) standard was finalized it still has a lot of relevant material in it. It is clearly presented, and the underlying design choices are explained and expanded on.A word of caution, the topic on Smart pointers is interesting, but don't just copy it out, get a tested version from the C++ library "boost". Its like the string class every text seems to use, copy it, use it to learn from but don't use it in an actual project. You'll just have to go through the debugging process that everyone else has already done.This book focuses on C++ Design and that is a hard subject to teach well. The mechanics of the language are much easier to master, the putting it all together in the correct way is what this book focuses on.I'd also like to say that I think this book is better written than any of the C++Report articles that A.Koening wrote. My guess is that the review process is more stringent and he and B. Moo had more time to work the text over. In any case it is one of the easier to understand and read intermediate level C++ books.

Nestled between 'learn in 24 hour' books, uml tomes, and vc references is a smallish, silly looking book called Ruminations on C++. At first glance you may be nervous as you find cows on the cover, but this gem is one of the best programming books I've every enjoyed. This book is targeted to the intermediate C++ programmer who has mastered syntax and basic idioms, and wants to move beyond into more complex uses. The book introduces (some may say, pounds) the concept of smart pointers, containers and iterators, templates, and function adapters in a ah-ha! enlightening kind of way. Once you understand these concepts and start employing them in your programs, you'll wonder how you could have ever written programs without them. Some readers may be bothered by the fact that the chapters are 'regurgitations' of previous articles the writer had written, but I would highly recommend that you pick this up. The treatment on the SmartPointer alone is worth the price. Buy it now!!

"Ruminations..." is among my favorite C++-oriented books. If you've read a few articles by Koenig (and sometimes Moo) in JOOP, C++ Report, or elsewhere you'll have a good idea for what to expect here. The problems are practical, the writing is clear, and the analysis is thorough. Code is not sanctioned to sidebars or mammoth examples in this book; it's an interwoven part of the discussion, and it evolves as solutions are explored. You might learn more about the standard C++ library by reading this book than many of the "STL" books out currently available. If you're new to C++ you should start elsewhere, otherwise this book deserves your attention.

A book for the knowledgable C++ programmer who seeks greater insight in programming, design and C++. It goes beyond programming constructs and specific methodologies, covering a very wide range of programming problems and their solutions. Based on magazine columns, the revised and extended material is presented in an unusually readable style. This is a book you will return to many times, just for the joy of it.

The book contains exactly what its title says: Ruminations on C++. For example it explains in a few lines WHY copy semantic of containers is prefered, looking at alternative approaches. Such considerations are written in a style that makes the book a pleasure to read. As most modern books about C++ deal with similar topics, this book is not another C++ book - the authors consider the why of design issues, whereas most other books concentrate on how things are getting done.