FAQ 39.05 Can OOC be learned from a book?

FAQ 39.05 Can OO/C++ be learned from a book?

A good book can teach syntax and semantics, and a great book can open your eyes, but that isn't good enough.

We think the book you are reading is a good book, maybe even better than that. But a book can't reinforce its messages like practice does, and a book can't answer questions like a good mentor can. It has been our experience that incremental technology, such as going from FORTRAN to C, can be picked up by good people from reading a book and experimenting a bit. But a paradigm shift, such as transitioning to OO and C++, doesn't lend itself to this traditional approach.

So, learn by reading, but become proficient by doing, particularly under the tutelage of a pro. A book alone cannot get you even to level 1.