Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML

reviewed by Robert Pritchett

Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML by Elisabeth and Eric Freeman is the latest in the head First series and it rocks my world. No assumptions are made and everyone who enjoys webbing thought and information are going to enjoy this book as it touches both sides of the brain and walks through the basics of HTMLing.

Do you need prior experience? No. Is the book “complete”? No. Is a commercial HTML package required to make the concepts and techniques work? No. By working through all the various learning modes, will you have grasped the concepts? No doubt.

If you have read earlier Head First books, this one also follows the time-tested training format of engaging all parts of the brain and intellect. In fact, the Freemans make this process practically painless and fun to learn in a way that the concepts stay with you after they have been read.  And isn’t that what learning is really all about anyway?

There are 14 chapters that help us understand hypertext, web page building blocks, adding images, understanding standards compliance, getting into XHTML and CSS, styling with fonts and colors, understanding elements, digging into divs and spans, layout and positioning, tables, lists and forms. And the Appendix has the usual top ten topics not covered.

If your mind tends to gloss over deep topics, yet you need to get a grasp of the HTML environment, I think you will find that this book will engage your brain like no other and you will be able to wrap your brain around the concepts quite easily.

The Freemans put fun back into learning!