Best C book for beginner

I posted this thread already in book reviews but this isnt displayed on the front page, ive tried deleting it but it wouldnt delete..........mods?

Anyways......
Im relatively new to C programming.
Ive read a few tutorials which touch on the various aspects of the language but not in any great detail and they havent been the most newbie friendly either.

I just wanted to know what C books members have read and how helpful they found them.

Ive did a bit of searching and have found a couple of recommended books but i want to hear what you guys recommend.

Cheers

C How to Program by Deitel and Deitel looks to me like one of the most comprehensive textbooks on the subject, but you'll pay a big price for it. At last glance Amazon had it for $85.00.

Even though it's old I really found The Absolute Beginner's Guide to C to be quite good. Also, The C Programming Language, which also includes insight by the author of C to be helpful. :)

Note: I got rid of the dup thread. :D

I just read a couple of reviews of this book which haven't been too good considering the price of it!

Have you read the book roswell and if so how did you rate it?

Im swayed towards The C Programming Language (Prentice Hall Software Series) by Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie .

Its had lots of excellent reviews, anyone agree?

Kernighan and Ritchie should be the ones that know the best. They 'invented' the language :D I also believe that's the one everybody uses as a school textbook. I must admit though I haven't read it myself but Prentice Hall makes great books.

A Book on C

by Al Kelley and Ira Pohl

Starts out realy simple and gets realy advanced..
also gives some info on going on to other languages from C (java and C++)

It's the book I started with !!

C itself is not on the cutting edge of NEW technology so why not go to your local library and take a few home and see

Not a bad idea, though whether they've anything worth reading is another story.

you could even request they bring a book in like the 85 dollar book mentioned above. Use it for 2 - 4 week. if you think its worth the money you can but it.

I will suggest that you grab any standard book like Dennis Ritchie's C Programming book or Deitels' "C How to Program". But, the key is how you move from there onwards because people tend to lose their interest with time or may be even try to rush. Best thing for you will be to go step by step. Don't skip the topics (otherwise they will follow you !) and write as many programs as possible. Start with simple programs as inability to write bigger programs can lead to frustration and suspicion. Small programs teach you nuts and bolts of programming language which you can wisely manipulate to write more "complex" programs once you feel confident.

welll..........

there is a saying "whenever in doubt always follow K & R"...this book is a must have for every programmer

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there is a saying "whenever in doubt always follow K & R"...this book is a must have for every programmer

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hehe I agree

The C Programming Language, 2nd Ed. Kernighan & Ritchie is a must have C book. They sell for bout $40 but you could probably get it off ebay for a cheaper price. The book is not one of them C bible. It's only 250 pages but it covers everything.

No doubt the K & R books will be informative. I found Teach yourself C in 21 days to be a great reference to assist with C (use as a reference). I took a basic C programming class in college and proceed on to self taught system programming in C.

Cheers,

D

A BOOK ON C PROGRAMMING:

I have longed to know the best book on C programming , pls i will still need a comprehensive list of the best ones.

DE SCORPION: here's 2 links that I came across with on google.

http://users.powernet.co.uk/eton/clc/cbooks.html
http://home.att.net/~jackklein/c/c_books.html

I have to agree with several of the above posts and recommend the C programming language by K&R. It's short, sweet and to the point, while at the same time readable and moderately paced. Each chapter contains several programming excercises to drive the important points home. If you go through this book and complete the excercises, you will not be disappointed. The only down side that I can think of is that the answers to the exercises come in a separate book that must be purchased. Aside from that, I can't think of anything else bad about it.

I've have read multiple books on the topic of C/C++ and by far the most comprehesive and understandable book was "Accelerated C++". It's relatively small and packs everything from pointers to templates into the 200+ pages. I love it...you might have to read back a few times but the book itself is in a league of its own.

"Accelerated C++"

scat

I've never read the Deitel and Deitel book (the $85 one) myself, but it has quite a few positive reviews on Amazon. I've actually been considering it myself, but I haven't gotten over that pricetag either. Anyone here read C Primer Plus by Stephen Prata? That one looks really good, too.

I go with the K & R. That's how I learned it, and I wouldn't have done any other way. It might be difficult, but if you don't fully get it, just read it again, and once more if required. There's plenty of exercise in it too. It's a classic.

meh .. most people will say go with the K&R book... but unless you are already an advanced programmer, that book isnt for you.. id go with something more introductory.. rather than something so indepth and intricate

Personally, I started off with C using the Deitel book (2nd ed) in my first C class in college. Now, I'm using it to reteach myself C since it's been a while since I've done some serious programming. Plus, I'm wanting to learn C, and to program in general, anyway.

Also, take a look at "C: The Complete Reference". It's very thick as it has both an overview of C and an indepth look at the C standard library. I'm actually considering purchasing it for myself.

alpha03