Reader reviews

Worth every page. I have already recommended it to two colleagues.

I was looking for something that would bridge the gap between tutorials and proper reference material, and this does that well. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.

A useful guide. The examples assume a particular environment, but that is fixable.

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. The author clearly knows the subject deeply and has thought hard about how to teach it. Good value for the price and worth the time it takes to work through properly.

Finally, a book that treats data visualization with the care it deserves.

I picked this up after getting stuck on a project and it turned out to be exactly the right book at the right time. The author avoids over-explaining, which keeps the pace up but means you need to pay attention. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. This is the book I wish had existed when I started working with data visualization.

A genuinely enjoyable read that also taught me a great deal.

I have been working with javascript for a few years now and I still found plenty here that was new to me. The chapters on javascript are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. The author avoids over-explaining, which keeps the pace up but means you need to pay attention. I have already recommended it to two colleagues and will recommend it to more.

A worthwhile addition to my shelf, with realistic expectations.

I bought this on a whim after seeing it mentioned in a forum thread, and I am glad I did. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. The author is unusually honest about where the simplifications break down, which I appreciated. Worth picking up if you already have the basics. Set realistic expectations and you will get a lot out of it.

Almost excellent. A second edition could easily push it to five stars.

This is the third book I have read on graphics & design this year, and it is comfortably the best of them. The exercises at the end of each chapter are worth doing — they caught a few misconceptions I did not know I had. The chapters on graphics & design are the strongest — the examples are stripped down but complete, and I could follow along without constant guessing. Good value for the price and worth the time it takes to work through properly.