Perl Best Practices

Perl Cookbook, Second Edition

Higher-Order Perl: Transforming Programs with Programs

Perl Testing : A Developer's Notebook

Learning Perl Objects, References, and Modules

Perl Books

Advanced Perl Programming

Format: Paperback
Author: Simon Cozens
ReleaseDate: 01 June, 2005
Publisher: O'Reilly Media
Rating:

"Second Edition"? Should be "Volume 2"!
For an example of why, it explained anonymous structures clearer than anyplace else I had seen. Review: Advanced Perl Programming

The First Edition of this book is one of my favorite books. I have re-read it several times, learning something new with each reading. If you have gotten through "Learning Perl", and want to become an advanced Perl programmer, get yourself a copy of the First Edition.

Why is this book is the "Second Edition" of anything? It bears no resemblance at all to the First Edition. It has a different author, which is the first red flag. Looking inside, we find that all the chapters have different titles, and there is no topic discussed in one book that is discussed in the other. Most of what is in the First Edition is still valid Perl, and important information for a Perl programmer to know. Within a few minutes of learning this Second Edition had been published, I ordered it, based on my love of the First Edition. If I had spent any time looking through it, I probably wouldn't have bought it.

This book covers advanced Perl constructs and topics, but those much less useful to the average "another Perl hacker". It is interesting to know some of the stuff in the 2E, perhaps from an academic perspective, but there is none of the, "Wow, I'm going to use this every day" feeling that I got with the 1E.

To be fair, this book is well written, and clearly explains some things I've "always wondered about". There are several topics covered that I wish had been covered in more depth. For example, there is exactly one sentence about Inline::Java. But, I am glad that I bought it, and will put it on my shelf next to the First Edition. In thinking about it, I would say that this book should have been called, "Advanced Perl Programming, Volume 2" (with two panthers on the front?) Meanwhile, it is true that Sriram's First Edition could use some updating. After Perl 6 is released?.

Do not waste your money and save trees

This book offers nothing in terms of delving into the operational guts of Perl, its philosophy, its parser and guts in general. This book is utter trash, you will derive more benefit from reading Learning Perl (4th edition) and Programming Perl.
The first edition was far and away better, although Siriviam did not explain the concepts behind 'my' and 'local' in its proper origins. But that is irrelevent in terms of comparing the 2nd edition with the first. The 2nd edition is nothing more than Volume 2 to Learning Perl; if you want to become a proficient and professional Perl programmer do not waste your money on the 2nd edition. Get your hands on the first edition and hold on to it until a better alternative comes along.

Oreilly losing quality
Oreilly has dissapointed me for the first time, since most oreilly perl books are excellent value and of a high quality. This book as has been said "is a completely different book and not worthy of being called the second edition of such a good book". Instead as in the first edition that covers a good range of advanced topics this book chooses some rare and obscure ones. This book is of little use to the programmer whom has ever picked up the cook book or perl programming by same publisher. Unfortunely for me I did not have the chance to see the book in person, or a truthful review. .