Rating: 
Summary: Great basic introduction
Review: This book provides an easy introduction to design patterns. The book moves easily from subject to subject and the material covered is refreshing and novel. Too many Java books do nothing to illuminate important design concepts but simply rehash well-worn concepts, i.e. what is an object, encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, etc. This book provides an excellent introduction to design patterns, an important tool in the lexicon of programmers, through good prose and concise examples that highlight the similarities and differences of the various patterns.
Rating:
Summary: Great way to understand patterns on the first reading
Review: The authors of the landmark book "Design Patterns" book by Erich Gamma...[et al.] aka the Gang of Four (GOF) book state in their preface: "Don't worry if you don't understand this book completely on the first reading. We didn't understand it all on the first writing!"Cooper's "Java Design Patterns A Tutorial" is so clearly written that the reader can quickly understand the main idea of a pattern and how to implement it on the first reading. Cooper recommends in his introduction that you also read the Gof Design Patterns book. This really makes a powerful combination. First read about a pattern in Cooper's book so that you know what the key parts to it are and what you need to do to code it. Then study the gof book and ponder the insights of the masters. I have another book on Patterns in Java but I find that book harder to understand than the Gof book. Only after reading about a pattern in Cooper's book could I go back to the other book and understand the presentation of the pattern. Basically, you are left thinking "nice code but how do I apply this to my own work? what do I really need to do to implement this pattern?" Cooper's book clears all that up. Cooper is like the good friend in college who could explain something to you in 10 minutes that you couldn't understand after an hour lecture or hours of studying. Java Design Patterns a Tutorial by James Cooper is one of the best books I have.
Rating: 
Summary: Read Head First Design Patterns Instead
Review: The author tried to explain design patterns by using Swing. However, not every reader understand Swing. Compared with Head First Design Patterns, this book didn't well explain how, when, why to use design patterns.
Rating: 
Summary: read Design Patterns Explained instead
Review: This book misses the point of patterns. It explains patterns as if they are solutions to recurring problems. Gee, I thought that's what they are? Well, they are - to some extent. They are more about a way to think. The problem with patterns as design solutions is that they don't help you until it is too late. Design Patterns Explained talks about why patterns are good solutions. You can then use this information on any project.
Rating:
Summary: DO NOT PURCHASE THIS BOOK! You will regret it.
Review: I was very disappointed in this book and wish I had done even a small amount of research prior to purchasing it. As others have noted, the examples are difficult to follow. The editing is non-existent; the reader has to spend way to much time deciphering the examples to make them useful. Code snippets are internally inconsistent (at least with regards to code style), code snippets are duplicated across pages, references are made to objects that you haven't been introduced to. At this point, I'm nearly halfway through this book after repeated attempts to read it through (its not very long -- 300+ pages) and cannot say my grasp of Design Patterns, as applied to Java, is much better than when I started. Go online and follow tutorials. You'll find better information. The fact that this book retails for [$$$] should be at least a misdemeanor.
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