This is not the usual book of creative programming hacks made possible by the JavaScript language. Rather, it is a how-to guide explaining how to present multimedia in web pages using JavaScript and Hypertext Markup Language 5 (HTML5).

The author unapologetically pushes the cutting edge of what was possible in browsers in mid-2014. He primarily tested in Chrome 31. Though he does supply a few shims that may be needed in older browsers, he warns that he has not tested heavily in other browsers besides Chrome and Firefox.

His writing style is clear but fast-paced, with as much code as text on each page. This is a book of ready-to-use solutions, not general teaching. I wholeheartedly agree with the author’s statement that it is best understood by running and tweaking the sample code.

Topics addressed in this brief book include using JavaScript for: canvases, animation, HTML5 audio and video, 3D rendering, music generation, client-server multimedia apps, peer-to-peer communication, video manipulation, webcam capture, and motion/gesture recognition.

If you need sample code in any of these areas, this book is worth reading. Beyond that, I also enjoyed the book’s style. The author clearly loves the subject and is very enthusiastic (sometimes overly so; I wish his editor had removed a few of his exclamation marks). He cites many very early works, including several classic image processing papers that I remember from the 1980s, and even one classic paper from 1909. Obviously, the author enjoys demonstrating the relevance of old science to modern technology, a sentiment I endorse 100 percent. In short, I like this book and look forward to someday playing with the ideas it presents.