This book gives you real value right away through a series of practical examples that you can incorporate directly into your sites, optimizing performance and adding functionality.
I've read HTML and CSS books before, but this is my first one on PHP/MySQL.
I spent a half-hour to an hour each night going through this book, working the exercises, and understand the more basic things like includes. Things like working with a database and having a form send an email are a little more challenging for me right now.
But it occurred to me that the best way to use this book is not to try to learn each lesson on its own, but to work on a PHP project and then come back to this as a guide when you need it.
So this book will be on my shelf while I work on my first PHP based site.
Pretty good book - real-world based (mainly) so that's nice. Some pretty important items to PHP programming are mentioned but more glossed over. I liked it.
I have only read through three chapters of this book but it has already transformed my working methods and saved me acres of time in the process. Well worth buying.
Overall, a good text to learn the basics of PHP and MySQL. Just got frustrated working through all the typographic errors. Powers however does have corrections listed on his site. Just wish the book had been proofread better before publishing. I feel the examples and projects got me acquainted with the material though. Check it out if interested in learning some basics of PHP and MySQL. This book was used as a text in one of my college classes.