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When you first flip through this book it looks like your normal C++ programming book. That is, it is very thick, has lots of program listings and diagrams and screenshots abound. But, on closer inspection, you find that it is different to most books that you pick up. For example, it assumes you are familiar with C++. It does not go through each statement in exacting detail explaining (yet again) how to write case, for and while statements. This is a good thing as I am sure we all have a book on our bookshelf which does this job.

The book starts with an introduction to Windows and the Win32 API. Many books do this but you often find this information at the end (after discussing C++ syntax for half the book). This book sets this out as its starting point and it is one of the best treatments I have read on the subject.

Although not stated in the title, the book only covers MFC and the foundation classes are covered next. Chapters devoted to various topics (OLE, MAPI, ActiveX, ODBC, TCP/IP, OpenGL, etc.) follow this. It is people who are interested in these topics that the book is aimed at.

The thing I liked about this book is that it does not have to compromise on its content because it has not wasted space on the very basics. This, in my opinion, makes the book better and I would recommend it over the normal C++ books; although I feel it is perhaps too expensive.