Rating: 
Summary: Finally! XML Explained in human language.
Review: I've read or browsed many XML books on the market in the past 6 months and this is finally the first one that spoke my language.The author is not fixated on just using XML as a replacement for SGML or HTML but gives thoughtful examples of how XML can be used in its own right, for example, with database information. In addition, he gives a clear explanation of how and why to write a DTD and even includes the DTD for the book as an appendix. I've recommended this to clients and colleagues alike.
Rating: 
Summary: ok reference, poor text for learning xml
Review: Not a good text if you are trying to learn xml. The writing style is needlessly technical and there are way too few examples. Seems to cover the features of xml pretty thoroughly. Might be a good reference for someone already familiar with xml.
Rating:
Summary: splendid introduction
Review: Particularly for the thoughtful reader who wants to understand the rationale behind the standards decisions- a level of understanding that makes the details much more meaningful and far easier to remember. I very much hope that Bradley will update his perspicacious elucidation of the xml specs (eg on schemas) as they continue to evolve. Easily my favorite among the dozen or so general xml books with which I am familiar.
Rating: 
Summary: Direct and to the point
Review: This book comes right to the point on what you need to write XML. No fluff, no hype, just straight talk about what you need to know to create DTDs and write XML documents. The author also discusses XLink, XPointer, XSL, and XSLT. This is not a book for beginners. However, if you are very familiar with other mark up languages, you should have no problem with this book.
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Summary: Right to the meat
Review: This book gets right to the meat of XML without going through long drawn out discussion of history. It has a very good overview on parsing XML, with good examples. The book also addresses other issues that I don't often see in other XML books: translation of logical models to DTD's, and document management - although I felt like I was left hanging. The discussion of XSL is based on an older draft version of the standard.
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Summary: Beginners beware!
Review: This book has good coverage on a good deal regarding parsing of an xml document. But beyond that small part, this book provides the reader very little else, and does a terrible job in explaining the purpose and uses of XML. If you already know a great deal about XML this book could help, but even for that, it is by no mean thorough or comprehensive.
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Summary: Not a well written book...
Review: This book is clearly not for a beginner, nor should it be. Many reviews give it less than five stars due to the fact that it's a bad tutorial. Well it wasn't designed as one, as you should see in the title XML **Companion**. It's designed as a thorough reference of XML and related technologies. Neil is really up to date with his stuff. I couldn't find another book, (and I've skimmed through all of them), that covers everything. Coverage of technical issues like white space normalization, Relax, Trex, Relax NG, etc... It's wondeful.
Please don't buy this book as a tutorial, but rather as a desktop reference. It's a must on all XML programmer's bookshelves.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book, clear and to the point for XML professionals
Review: This book is clearly not for a beginner, nor should it be. Many reviews give it less than five stars due to the fact that it's a bad tutorial. Well it wasn't designed as one, as you should see in the title XML **Companion**. It's designed as a thorough reference of XML and related technologies. Neil is really up to date with his stuff. I couldn't find another book, (and I've skimmed through all of them), that covers everything. Coverage of technical issues like white space normalization, Relax, Trex, Relax NG, etc... It's wondeful.
Please don't buy this book as a tutorial, but rather as a desktop reference. It's a must on all XML programmer's bookshelves.
Rating:
Summary: perfect start and desk book for xml
Review: this book is great to those developers new to xml or want an easy hand reference on your desk or in hand ...
Rating: 
Summary: If you are in any way technically minded, avoid this book!
Review: This is not that great a book, in fact it is fairly poor. The writing is confused in places and the examples badly thought through. Technically minded readers will find it largely pointless, and will offer little of any great use. Over-rated.
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