The C# programming language and Microsoft .NET are rapidly evolving. How can a C# developer keep up with the new and changing technologies? There are good books focusing on the mastery of particular .NET technologies and frameworks, but a .NET developer also needs a considerable breadth of knowledge, deep enough to encourage use and to provide a solid foundation for rapidly developing competencies. This book has both the breadth of topics and the appropriate depth of coverage to effectively help the .NET developer attain this breadth.

This book does not attempt to divorce C# from .NET. It is not a book about Visual Studio, and it is definitely not a book for beginners. With more than 1,800 pages, this book is divided into seven parts, each covering a different facet of C# and .NET.

Part 1, “The C# Language,” contains 14 chapters that provide solid coverage of C#, from language basics to such new features as implicitly typed variables, automatic properties, extension methods, lambda expressions, object and collections initializers, and language integrated query (LINQ). This part is a good introduction to C# for an experienced programmer new to C# and a good refresher for C# programmers.

“Visual Studio,” Part 2, contains two chapters: chapter 15 covers the integrated development environment (IDE) from an experienced programmer’s perspective, and chapter 16 covers application deployment.

Part 3, “Base Class Libraries,” covers .NET programming extensively, in eight chapters. It includes chapters on assemblies, synchronization, security, and Windows Services.

Part 4, “Data,” contains six chapters and includes coverage of data access, Extensible Markup Language (XML), LINQ to structured query language (SQL), LINQ to XML, and SQL Server.

Part 5, “Presentation,” contains ten chapters and includes extensive coverage of Windows Forms, the Graphics Device Interface Plus (GDI+), Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), and ASP.NET.

Part 6, “Communication,” contains eight chapters that cover the new communication technology, Windows Communications Foundation (WCF), Windows Workflow Foundation (WF), enterprise services, directory services, and peer-to-peer networking.

The final part of the book consists of three useful appendices. The first covers the increasingly emphasized ADO.NET Entity framework. The second, a “rosetta stone,” shows the syntax of the same features in C#, Visual Basic, and C++/CLI, and indicates when certain features do not translate. The last appendix covers features important to developers who work with Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.

The authors provide just enough coverage to balance breadth and depth appropriately for their intended audience. The many code examples are just large enough to clearly and effectively illustrate the current topic. In the WPF chapters, most of the examples are in Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML). All of the code is available for download (http://www.wrox.com/WileyCDA/WroxTitle/Professional-C-2008.productCd-0470191376,descCd-DOWNLOAD.html).

There are some very minor flaws, such as some code indentation, but nothing that inhibits understanding or detracts from the book. Overall, the book is clearly and cleanly written, consistent, and well edited, which is notable for a technical book with five authors, especially one with such a breadth of coverage on a rapidly evolving subject.

The book is for experienced developers, particularly those who work with C#, and it should be accessible to C++ and Visual Basic developers. It is also a great reference, suitable for teachers of intermediate and advanced topics in C# and .NET. I highly recommend it, especially for its intended audience.