It is a great book, more for my case that I’m learning by myself Java and don’t have to much time daily to study.

Book is excellent and exactly as described.

Cay Horstmann's long-running pair of books, Core Java Vols I and II, are the established definitive explanations of Java and how to use it. It gets periodic updates and remains the best of the many texts that aim to cover the entire language and its principal libraries.

Core Java for the Impatient was originally a scaled down version of that two-volume, 2,000 pages masterpiece. It focuses primarily on what you need to know as a programmer. Originally, the Impatient volume was concise and made a good companion to Core Java: you used it for most questions, but where you needed more detail, you went to the massive books.

This fourth edition of the Impatient version brings Horstmann's usual clarity, insight, cautions, and reminders to Java 21. My only concern is that synopsis is now a hefty book in its own right: more than 500 pages. So you're going to need to be more patient than the title suggests if you intend to use it as a straight-through tutorial. However, if you do that, you'll get an excellent education in Java.

Recommended both on its own merits and for those who want a great reference book but don't need the original 2,000 pages on the language.

First, I’m not affiliated with Pearson or Addison-Wesley — this is an honest review from a software engineer who regularly uses Java.

Initially, I hesitated to buy the 4th edition of Core Java for the Impatient* because of a very negative review about the book’s print quality. But I’ve always appreciated Cay S. Horstmann’s work, and after a year, I decided to buy it — knowing Amazon makes returns easy if needed.

Yes, the paper in this edition is thinner than in the 3rd edition. You can slightly see text from the reverse page, but it’s still perfectly readable. If you own the previous edition, the difference in paper quality and layout will surprise you at first.

But there’s also good news:

* The new layout is actually an improvement. The massive right margin from the 3rd edition is gone — now you get more code and content per page.

* Bottom margins are smaller too, so more fits on a page without feeling cramped.

* Larger page numbers and cleaner formatting make it easier to navigate.

* For reading printed code examples, these changes are a big plus.

The publisher should have communicated these changes more clearly — it might have avoided some disappointed reactions. But overall, the book is still high quality and highly readable.

As for content: it’s excellent. Horstmann knows how to teach Java efficiently. This isn’t a “Java for Dummies” type of book — it’s fast-paced, concise, and full of useful, real-world examples. Ideal for developers who already know basic programming and want to get up to speed with modern Java (Java 21 in this case). Experienced Java devs can also use it as a quick reference or refresher.

Yes, it’s a bit pricey. But for a book that helps you level up or stay current with Java 21, it's absolutely worth it — arguably cheaper (and more valuable) than many online courses or even a video game.

In short: Excellent content, improved layout, slightly thinner paper — still the best Java book for the “impatient.”

The book content is good! The paper quality is terrible! Papers are almost transparent and the text in the next pages or before, backwash to the current page and makes it difficult to read! My seller was Amazon! I will be returning the book. What were they thinking printing on this thin paper…