My favorite Java books

Listed below are some of the Java books I enjoyed reading.

Effective Java by Joshua Bloch
I have read the first edition. It is an excellent book on best practices. It is meant for intermediate to advanced programmers. I had to read some chapters more than once to grasp the concepts. Save it for serious reading.

SCJP 5 by Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates
It is recommended as a must have book for certification. I personally used it to review my Java skills. I absolutely loved the book, its very easy to follow. If you are trying to learn the Java language read another book first.

Core Java Vol I by Cay Horstman
This book keeps growing in size with every edition. The sheer size could scare people, however, it is a very good book for learning Java. It covers Java 6 features too. A note of caution though, if you are new to programming, this not the right book for you.

Head First Java by Kathy Sierra and Bert Bates
I became a great fan of Kathy and Bert after reading SCJP 5 and decided to read this one eventhough I am not new to Java. I borrowed it from the library which only had the first edition. It is a very good book to learn Java language even for ones without programming background. One needs to get used to the new style of teaching. You may either like the approach or not. I personally enjoyed reading it.

Professional Java Puzzlers by Josh Bloch.
Fun, Fun, Fun. Once I started reading I wasnt able to stop. It exposes pitfalls and oddities of the language. If you have the time then borrow it and read it.

Practical Java by Peter Haggar
Another book on some good programming practices. I really really enjoyed reading it. It is easy to read, very clear and concise. I think even beginners can understand some essays(Praxis). Advanced programmers may prefer Effective Java.

Algorithms in Java by Sedgewick
I havent finished reading it because many sections require re-reading, it is very dense and meant to be read with least amount of distractions. I like the book so far because it covers the fundamentals of algorithms very well and has some really good examples. The only gripe I have so far is that no answers are provided to the exercises.

Head First Servlets and JSP by Basham, Siera and Bates
I havent finished reading it fully but I have liked what I have read. Though it says it is geared towards SCWCD, it is a very good book even for beginners, its easy to understand but one needs to know some Java.