Book on C, A: Programming in C 4th Edition

I got this originally for an advanced class in C when I had already been programming in it for a few years. I had been using K&R as the bible but K&R is a little too terse for me and I needed some examples. I have been programming in C for 20 years but I have a terrible memory and always need to refer to some part of it for syntax and usage. This book is just right for me.It is so useful I keep it with me all the time. All my friends in the lab were borrowing it so it got so dog-eared I threw it out and bought a second.It not only covers basic and advanced C, but it also has some data structures with linked lists, stacks, and queues in programs that actually compile and work. I also use the little bit they have on the differences with C++. You need another book if you really want to get into data structures or C++ but this will get you through the most common situations. Very useful indeed.

Best book on C I have found. Clear writing, useful examples.This book and a good C reference (like C in a nutshell) and you're on your way.

REVISED REVIEW:I originally titled this review "Bad for beginners" and gave the book 2-stars. That was when I didn't know much about programming.C is a very old language. It is a great way to learn the basics and then move on to C++. This book teaches C in the best way that it could. One bit at a time. During Chapter one, expect a lot of little explanations about a variety of topics. The authors wanted to summarize the entire language for you so that you could see very quickly that "This is this, and this is this." Chapter two immediately starts expanding on those very broad terms that chapter one spoke in. The rest of the book is spent teaching very specifically how C works and how to manipulate the computer, compiler and memory to do a whole lot of good for your future as a programmer.This book will learn ya good, but you need to stick with it!This was my review I wrote after owning teh book for a few days and getting frustrated at the first chapter's lack of "teaching" It's just my angry thoughts about the first chapter, disregard it as a legitimate review. I'm keeping it here so that if you get frustrated after chapter one, you know that i've been there and now i'm saying: It's worth it!OLD REVIEW::This book is very bland. learning is very slow and without explanation. the entire book is structured as follows:Program's source code.Dissecting the source code in varying degrees of detail. (this does this, that does this, this does that)That's it, hundred and hundred of pages without explanation. No thinking exercises, just list, after list, after list. No suggestions on how a certain bit of code can help this problem or that problem or even an explanation why.This book is bad for beginners, and yet so many universities use it as a first-year programming text for incoming freshmen.

Overall quality of my used book is pretty good, hopefully I can keep it in good condition to resell it. The book is great so far, they have several example programs and break down the C code to help understand. I am using this as a textbook in my class. But if you are just wanting to learn C so far it seems good to me, would recommend.

I am a Matlab/Simulink enthusiast and I wanted to brush up on my C. I found that this was the book used to teach 'Advanced C Programming' at Purdue ECE so I went for it. The reviews on Amazon are extremely positive, and I am looking forward to a good read once the book arrives. I will post my findings and update my rating soon. So far so good.

I'm quite satisfied with the purchase. The price, book condition and delivery time were quite good. At the beginning I refused the idea to buy a book in the USA while I live in Spain. Then I was not able to find it in Spain. After I've found it here it was so expensive... So, the optimum solution was to buy it by Amazon.

Possibly the best introductory text for C programming. Great examples and the end of the chapter exercises solidify the material presented in the prior pages.

The book is almost like new. I'm very broke right now but I'm glad I bought a used one instead of a brand new book.

Good

If this is the first book on programming you buy then you won't have done badly. - But buy second hand, its very pricey

Before getting "A Book on C, 4th edition, Kelley and Pohl", I knew the basics of the C language.I was looking for a reference on C that could be a handy aid to my memory and that could provide context for what I had learned about C. "A Book on C" serves well with my needs of such a reference.The C language can be learned best by studying its applications, I mean serious applications as opposed to regular student projects. Some serious applications of the C language can be found in books that are about Unix system programming.But there is a wide gap between these system programming books on the one hand and the majority of books that are written on C on the other hand. "A Book on C" addresses this gap to a good extent, because it often presents pretty realistic code to describe a programming concept and its usefulness in action.So far, I have read Chapters 1 to 5 of the book, and I have skimmed through other chapters.Chapter 1 presents a good overview of the C language. The writing style of "A Book on C" is clear and to-the-point (to experienced readers).Some exercises of "A Book on C" are mathematically thought-provoking.For example, exercise 16, page 188 helps formulating a mathematical theorem that goes like this:If b1, b2, ... b_{2n+1} are 2n + 1 Boolean variables, then the number of cases where b1 + b2 + ... + b_{2n+1} >= n is 2^{2n}.Warning to the beginner: The title "A Book on C" is painted on the cover of the book as if it is about the ABCs of the language. The book can serve as a reminder of the ABCs of the language, but I don't think it teaches the ABCs to the absolute beginner."A Book on C" sometimes provides definitions of concepts in a manner that might be vague to the beginner. For example, on page 204, the terminology "function declaration" has been introduced using the same terminology (one might call it a cycle). Here is what the book says:"To the compiler, function declarations are generated in various ways: by function invocation, by function definition, and by explicit function declarations and function prototypes."When I read this description of function declaration, I thought the book probably wants to say that function declaration means "first announcement on a function." If this is true, then I would have understood the quoted statement more quickly if it had been presented like this: The first announcement on a function should be in the form of either a function definition or a function prototype as introduced earlier.The beginner is thus warned. However, any beginner who has studied an elementary C book, such as "C in 21 days," should be fine with reading "A Book on C".Perhaps a precise review on the book can be made by comparing it with another good book that has about the same level of sophistication: The C Programming Language, Kernighan & Ritchie, 1988As experienced readers know, K&R is the definitive reference on C. Its author, Ritchie is one of the creators of both Unix and the C language. K&R is a more difficult read than ABC is to the beginner, because K&R is so terse (contains only around 200 pages). It is terse especially on chapters that are about the Unix system.To compare the two books (K&R and ABC) more precisely,Pros on ABC (for unseasoned programmers like me!):Pro1- ABC is more inclusive than K&R.For example, ABC includes explanations on makefiles, data structures, and linked lists.K&R does not address makefiles at all. And it does not discuss data structures. It probably assumes that the reader knows those topics.Pro2- Presentation of facts in ABC is more well organized than in K&R.For example, extensive usage of tabular environments in ABC to describe facts is quite remarkable.Pro3- ABC is more elaborate than K&R. When discussing Input/Output, for example, ABC takes more time to describe the ideas.NOTE: In being elaborate, ABC does not fill book pages with toy code, like most other C books do.The volume of realistic code per page presented in ABC is pretty much the same as that in K&R.Cons:con1- I could not find the solutions manual of ABC. But the solutions manual of K&R can easily be found.con2- It seems that ABC has more typos.Conclusion:"A Book on C" is one of the best references on C, perhaps THE best to date, for experienced readers.The book can serve as a quick refresher, quick reference, and thought-provoking tutorial. Some of its features are:extensive coverage of topics; fine organization of facts through tabular environments; to-the-point descriptions.Absolute beginners might not find it an easy read.

Bought a second hand copy of the same book. It looks almost brand new. Kudos to the seller for excellent maintenance.The book is, no doubt, one of the best I've ever seen in terms of presentation of subject.

I have tried other books, but none were as good as this one. It started me on my path to learning C the right way.