“Beginning Ruby” on Google Book Search
Thanks to an article called "Top Programming Books on Google Book Search", I've discovered that many of the pages of my book, Beginning Ruby (available also in e-book format here), are available here on Google Book Search. Most of Chapter 3 is there, along with chunks of every other chapter, including quite a bit of Chapter 16, a reference of "Useful Ruby Libraries and Gems".
While I have your attention and while I'm officially posting about the book, so far it has 9 reviews on Amazon, 8 at 5 star, and 1 at 4 star, and they are well worth a read if you're wondering whether the book is for you or not. No self reviews or "scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" type reviews in there (yah boo to those who do that), just honest thoughts from real readers of the book. To be honest, I have been surprised at the reaction and finally feel legitimate enough to proclaim that, yes, this is the best book, bar none, for people learning Ruby.
October 30, 2007 at 11:24 pm
I just bought your book last week!... as a way to get into the Ruby scene :) I come from a Java background and am excited to get into Ruby. Anyway, so far I love the book, especially the comic preface!! Hilarious and clever! I like your writing style!! Thumbs up from me... so far ;)
October 31, 2007 at 12:10 am
Hey Peter, you know I like your book!
So much so, that a week or so ago, I bought the print edition. It's quite a bit larger than I ever realized while reading the eBook edition last Spring!
It does always go a lot quicker than most of the Ruby books at my nearest Barns & No Bells bookstore.
I'll sit down with the whole thing again after I read this Cocoa book.
I'm getting up to speed on that to toy with RubyCocoa when I get a new mac.
November 3, 2007 at 2:27 am
Just finished a wingback chair reading of your book 10 minutes ago (up to the ref section) and now I'm sitting here working the examples. Coming from embedded assembly and C, Ruby is fantastically easy and powerful. Your book was fluid and enjoyable technical reading, but alas, ended leaving me craving more of the story (just like the novel I was time slicing with it). You have a very readable style of writing.