Aimed at the C++ newcomer, Core C++: A Software Engineering Approach provides a rich and sometimes densely packed tour of the language with plenty of advice on the best ways to use this powerful programming language effectively. It is full to the brim with useful advice for creating and using classes effectively and gaining an expert's understanding of the language.

You will get pretty much everything you need to learn C++ effectively, starting with basic keywords, data types, flow control statements and arrays. The guide to understanding object-oriented concepts, like coupling and cohesion, will help you design better classes. Even experienced programmers will appreciate the thorough coverage of memory-management techniques in C++.

An important middle section provides a blueprint for what methods and functions most C++ code should offer, including such methods as default and copy constructors, destructors and overloaded assignment operators. (By following this idiom, you will be able to write reusable C++ classes.) The book also illustrates class design with basic UML notation, excels at presenting the details of how to overload C++ operators to provide easier syntax for custom C++ classes, and provides excellent explanations of the pros and cons of composition and inheritance for getting classes to work together. A look at more advanced C++ features, like templates and exception handling, wraps things up. Along the way, you get a taste of UML notation and a thorough introduction to some of the best practices for writing C++ code effectively.

Core C++ is certainly no quick read, and if you are in a rush to learn quickly, there are plenty of more concise treatments available. But if you are ambitious and want to master the intricacies of C++ class design with some of its underlying design principles, this is an original and thorough package with unique strengths to offer. --Richard Dragan