After I finished Head First HTML and CSS, I got to thinking. I was wondering if I was impressed with the book merely because I knew HTML already. Maybe I learned so fast because I had a base to start from.

So I got Head First Java. I know nothing about Java at all. I've always wanted to be able to program in Java, but I've never gotten into it, partially because I convinced myself that it's too hard, or would take too long to learn. I figured that this would be a good test of the whole "Head First" learning system.

I still like the system. I'm not a Java programmer yet, but I know enough that I can write some code, and I understand object-oriented programming much better than I ever thought I would.

This book is laid out similarly to the other Head First books. You start off with the basics, and build on everything you learn until you're writing code. The big feature of this book is how you're taught.

There's something in Head First Java for everyone. Visual learners, kinesthetic learners, everyone can learn from this book. Visual aids make things easier to remember, and the book is written in a very accessible style — very different from most Java manuals. There are similarities between this book and the HTML book (and probably with the other Head First books as well), but that's not a bad thing.

Head First Java is a valuable book. I can see the Head First books used in the classroom, whether in high schools or adult ed classes. And I will definitely be referring back to this book, and referring others to it as well.