One CSS book to rule them all...

[Critter04]

OK, I have developed a good foundation of knowledge regarding CSS and HTML in the past two months and I think I'm ready for an intermediate level book to help me build my skills.

Someone mentioned one a while back, but I forgot. So I ask; what is the best intermediate CSS book to buy?

thanks.crit.

[Mynock]

and in the darkness bind them?

[Critter04]

....yeah, OK.

[tZ]

http://www.amazon.com/HTML-Utopia-Designing-Without-Tables/dp/0975240277/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218740144&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Web-Standards-Creativity-Innovations-Scripting/dp/1590598032/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218740192&sr=1-1

[NTLemon]

A good one I've read and was recomended to me was CSS Mastery (http://www.amazon.com/CSS-Mastery-Advanced-Standards-Solutions/dp/1590596145).

[digizan]

I'll second CSS Mastery.

Digi

[tZ]

CSS Mastery is more advanced then intermediate.

[CkretAjint]

I'll second CSS Mastery.

I concur! Even though I am starting out as well, reading it has helped me think about issues I MIGHT encounter when coding various things...

[NTLemon]

It might be a bit more advanced but I found it was a pretty good step after reading the Beginning XHTML/CSS books. Although between reading them I spent a lot of time directly working with the coding so a lot of the mid-level CSS stuff I learned on the fly.

[digizan]

CSS Mastery is more advanced then intermediate.
It does cover some advanced topics, but it also starts off with a review of the fundamentals of CSS, semantic markup, etc. Additionally, the authors themselves state in the introduction that "CSS Mastery is aimed at anybody with a basic knowledge of (X)HTML and CSS." In any event, the OP's statement of having "developed a good foundation of knowledge regarding CSS and HTML" is no doubt based on a largely subjective self-assessment, so whatever is suggested here may or may not turn out to be what s/he is actually looking for.

I concur! Even though I am starting out as well, reading it has helped me think about issues I MIGHT encounter when coding various things...
Yep, that's what I liked about it too. The sections on planning, organizing, and maintaining stylesheets helped me with thinking ahead with regard to CSS and developing a prototype that I can easily reuse. Even though I already considered myself to be at a pretty advanced level when I purchased the book, I still encountered several useful things in it that I hadn't been aware of.

Critter04: Two other books that I found extremely helpful when I was learning were Web Standards Solutions (http://www.amazon.com/Web-Standards-Solutions-Handbook-Pioneering/dp/1590593812/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218781867&sr=8-1) and Bulletproof Web Design (http://www.amazon.com/Bulletproof-Web-Design-flexibility-protecting/dp/0321509021/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1218781867&sr=8-2), both by Dan Cederholm. If I had to classify them, I'd say the former is beginner level, and the latter intermediate.

Every author has their own style of writing and approach to coding, so you may find that you prefer or better understand things written by certain authors. If I were you, I'd take a list of all the books recommended here and go to your local bookstore to check them out in person to see which one is the best fit.

Digi

[urstwile]

Don't forget the library! :)

[Mynock]

the what urst?

[Critter04]

Hmmm. I think I'll lean towards CSS Mastery. I got good advice early on, so I am familiar with writing my own markup already. Thanks for the advice everyone.

Crit.

[emmerse]

I'll chime in for CSS Mastery. I started out how many of us probably do - just throwing divs and classes everywhere to make the layout work. I already had a solid, although misguided, understanding of CSS. CSS Mastery was an eye opener in terms of really understanding proper markup and best practices. The advanced stuff and hacks/filters chapters were great as well.

[hewligan]

Don't forget the library! :)

the what urst?

It's this thingy people used to use in prehistoric times, before Sergei and Larry invented Google and we could never actually find anything on the internet. ;)

[Mynock]

It's this thingy people used to use in prehistoric times, before Sergei and Larry invented Google and we could never actually find anything on the internet. ;)Interesting.