Spring Into HTML and CSS
Spring Into HTML and CSS by Molly E. Holzschlag is an exceptionally thorough introduction to CSS and XHTML. It is written in a careful, academic tone that is never condescending. Each topic is presented in a short section called a “chunk” and can stand on its own. Though this could result in a disjointed presentation in the hands of a lesser author, Molly maintains a sense of flow throughout.
One advantage of the “chunk” style of writing is that the book is easily scanned. Readers already familiar with the basics of HTML and CSS will easily find relevant information without having to wade through an entire volume.
Holzschlag has done an excellent job of appealing to professionals who are adept learners and who see the value of a strong conceptual base for their work. No project is introduced without a prior explanation of the concepts being used.
Spring Into HTML and CSS may not appeal to those looking for a quick and easy entry into projects with a minimum of conceptual coverage, however; they can skip ahead easily to the projects and download the accompanying files to start playing right away.
Though programming and technical writing and perhaps most professional topics do not require a full-color treatment, design does! Perhaps future editions will include a full-color insert with some inspiring examples of what CSS can accomplish. Even without full-color, Molly creates grayscale examples that give an excellent introduction to the capabilities of CSS. Just don’t expect to be dazzled!
This book was a pleasure to read. In fact, I read the entire Annotated References for XHTML 1.0 and CSS 2.1. Normally, these are presented in table form for easy skimming. Molly went against the grain and the result is clearly effective. The “chunk” style was maintained here as well. Each element or selector is treated as a topic with explanatory notes.
Recommendation: This book teaches the “why” and not just the “how” of modern web design. While you can skip ahead to the projects, you will do well to pay close attention to the details. If you find your mind wandering easily when reading, perhaps you would do better to start with Eric Meyer on CSS because of its full-color project format. However, if you want to strengthen your conceptual skill with CSS and XHTML, you will not do better than this fine book!
Related Web Sites
- www.awprofessional.com/springinto
- www.alistapart.com/articles/negativemargins/
- www.bluerobot.com/web/css/center2.html
- css.maxdesign.com.au/listamatic
- www.accessify.com/tools-and-wizards/list-o-matic/list-o-matic.asp
- www.thenoodleincident.com/tutorials/box_lesson/font/index.html
- www.javascriptkit.com
- www.simplythebest.net/scripts/DHTML_scripts/
- www.javascripts.com
- www.dynamicdrive.com
- www.htmlhelp.com/faq/html/forms.html
- cgi.resourceindex.com/Remotely_Hosted
- php.resourceindex.com/Complete_Scripts
- www.ondotnet.com/pub/a/dotnet/2003/01/06/formsauthp1.html
CSS Layout
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Text Size Issues
DHTML
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July 10th, 2005
