css books

[mar1300]

CSS Mastery (Budd, Collison, Moll)
Don’t make me think (Krug)
Bulletproof Web Design (Cederholm)
Web Standards Solutions (Cederholm)
Designing with Web Standards (Zeldman)


I'm looking for a good css book one that's up to date easy to follow and can really teach me to be a professional.

Would you recommend any of the five above or something else???

are tabels going obsolete?? if so I would like a book that doesn't focus on that.

thanks.

[tZ]

If your looking for more beginner/intermediate books I would recommend the below. The book listed(or at least most of them) are more for those you allready have a pretty solid grasp but, want to start tackling more advanced concepts like browser hacking and what not- especially CSS mastery. Don't make me think is more directed at concepts and design on the web not intended to teach you CSS. Bulletproof web design I havn't read but, from my skimmings in the book store it seems more advanced like CSS mastery. I would say web standard solutions is more intermediate and designing with web standards is the same.

Depending on where you are I would recommend the below books as followed:

http://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Site-Right-Using/dp/0975240293/sr=8-6/qid=1165200787/ref=sr_1_6/105-7282733-5131630?ie=UTF8&s=books

If your just starting out and have dibbled and dabbled in CSS but, are somewhat ignoring mark up(XHTML) then this book is where I would recommedn starting. To be well rounded web deseigner/developer you should know XHTML. Its not hard to learn and helps you later when using the document object model to apply styles(CSS). Otherwise, you'll just be going through the motions without truly understanding what part XHTML and semantic mark-up does- which is alot. In addition, this book functions as an introductry lesson to basic CSS concept and utilizes a full website tutorial with XHTML and CSS applied after learning all the thoery behind it- highly recommned.

http://www.amazon.com/HTML-Utopia-Designing-Without-Tables/dp/0975240277/sr=8-1/qid=1165200734/ref=pd_bbs_1/105-7282733-5131630?ie=UTF8&s=books

However, if you feel confident in your standard mark-up skills and are just in search of a great book on the basic/intermediate concepts of CSS including different types of positioning the above book is a wonderfull place to start. This book starts of introducing you to the thoery behind CSS then goes through a large tutorial(taking up half the book) on applying all these concepts to a sample website. Floating, absolute, fixed and relative positioning are also throughly explained not only in thoery but, as each is applied to the sample website lesson.

If you feel extremly confident in CSS and are just looking to improve your skills then CSS mastery is a great place to start. My only critism is it lacks in-depth tutorials and is more of a thoeretical based book. Don't get me wrong its a good book, just you better understanding the basic and intermediate workings of CSS or you'll get lost. Since, it is more of a quick overview of what is possible without really getting into fine detail like the other books I listed above do withlarge tutorials.

To answer your next question tables arn't obsolute. They should just be used for the right purpose. Assuming your asking that question you should most likly start out reading the first book I provided since, it addresses all these questions of tables/'div' and why one is better over the other and what not and does this in detail. Then begins showing you the tables approach setting up a semantic page/document object model later applying CSS to round things out.

[mar1300]

thanks tZ......the first book sounds pretty good..I know the basics of XHTML and CSS, I'm just having a hard time positoning everything, and when to use divs/ids/class...So I'm thinking your right and the first book should be good for me... The book I'm reading right now is "XHTML Complete" which was a book I had to purchase for school..

Is this a bad book???

[dyers78]

I am reading Sam's Teach yourself CSS in 10 Min (wheakley) and it's not bad for a quick overview and basic begining/ It was cheap, takes a little longer than 10 min and a little tought to follow at times but is a decent book for someone wanting to astart at the beggining. I plan to read this, get comfy creating basic layouts and then jumo to a more aggressive book. I think I payed $5 for it.

[Mynock]

I have both VQG's DHTML and CSS and HTML, XHTML, and CSS Bible, and they are great references, but I've learned almost just as much on the web. The w3c schools and other various sites.

[mar1300]

I went to the store to pick up "Build Your Own Web Site the Right Way Using HTML & CSS" ian lloyd..they had none in stock....so i picked up "Head First HTML with CSS &XHTML"...... good choice???