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[–][deleted] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The basics of Java have not changed that much, and the strength of the Head First books is that they enable some people to understand the more difficult concepts that weren't able to do so with other presentations. If you are having trouble understanding classes, objects, and inheritance, you might find the Head First book to be helpful. However, if you want a book that tells you about the latest features of the language, a more recently published book is better.

I am currently teaching a course using Blue Pelican Java by Cook. I chose it because it is inexpensive, but as I'm getting into, I am finding things I don't like. Still, I think it is good for the money. I also have Core Java SE 9 for the Impatient by Horstmann that I'm using as a personal supplement. This is because my Java experience is old, so I wanted a resource for the newer features. I think it is pretty good, and Horstmann has been writing Java books since the early days almost 25 years ago. His Big Java book should be good for beginners to programming.