JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, Fourth Edition By David Flanagan Fourth Edition November 2001 ISBN: 0-596-00048-0 936 pages, $44.95 US, $67.95 CA, £31.95 UK
"JavaScript: The Definitive Guide" is not a step by step guide to JavaScript any more than an encyclopedia is a step by step guide. The book does provide an authoritative analysis of the language including a brief history of the language, data types, operators, statements, functions, objects, and arrays.
The author does a good job of addressing some of the assumptions of the language and how these assumptions may or may not be like other languages such as C++ or Java. The author also clarifies the different levels of support for certain aspects of the language both within the discussion and with the large JavaScript reference section. The book also provides a handy and thorough W3C DOM reference for working with various aspects of DHTML.
Some of the material in this book will provide a critical understanding to JavaScript's more advanced features. With the emergence of AJAX, many web developers are turning to JavaScript to provide solutions for dynamic web based applications. Now that JavaScript is more fully supported in modern browsers, web developers may want to turn to "JavaScript: The Definitive Guide" to enhance or polish existing JavaScript skills.
If you are looking for a quick introduction to JavaScript, you may find yourself disappointed. However, if you are already familiar with JavaScript and need a reference to look up an answer to your problem or need a guide for fine tuning your DHTML skills, you may find that this book is a rich resource for you.