# Reading materials
**URL:** https://rubytalk.org/t/reading-materials/37538
**Category:** ruby-talk
**Created:** [11 May 2007 20:18 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/reading-materials/37538 "2007-05-11T20:18:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Concours](https://rubytalk.org/u/Concours)
#### Post date: [11 May 2007 20:18 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/reading-materials/37538/1 "2007-05-11T20:18:46Z")
I've recently been turned on to Ruby and Rails, and after some
preliminary searching, I've settled on two sources to help get things
started.
1) Beginning Ruby: From Novice to Professional (Expert's Voice in Open
Source)
2) Agile Web Development with Rails (Pragmatic Programmers)
I believe book #2 is referred to as the "pickaxe" in the Rails
community? Have I made a good choice on materials, or are there some
other books I should be looking into?
As a brief background, I've been developing websites and web
applications for the past 8 years (primarily in the ASP environment). I
have a good grasp on OO programming, but haven’t really gotten any one
particular language under my belt.
Thanks for any advice!
> **···**
>
> --
> Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/).
---
### Author:  [@Seebs](https://rubytalk.org/u/Seebs)
#### Post date: [11 May 2007 20:24 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/reading-materials/37538/2 "2007-05-11T20:24:33Z")
> 1) Beginning Ruby: From Novice to Professional (Expert's Voice in Open
> Source)
> 2) Agile Web Development with Rails (Pragmatic Programmers)
> I believe book #2 is referred to as the "pickaxe" in the Rails
> community?
No. The "pickaxe" is the book with a pickaxe on the cover, titled
"Programming Ruby".
> Have I made a good choice on materials, or are there some
> other books I should be looking into?
I took Programming Ruby out to lunch twice, wrote a couple of test programs,
and that was enough to get me started.
> As a brief background, I've been developing websites and web
> applications for the past 8 years (primarily in the ASP environment). I
> have a good grasp on OO programming, but haven’t really gotten any one
> particular language under my belt.
Might as well start here as anywhere. I am very fond of the Pickaxe, and
recommend it as a good example of what a programming book should be like.
-s
> **···**
>
> In message \, Concours writes:
---
### Author:  [@darren\_kirby](https://rubytalk.org/u/darren_kirby)
#### Post date: [11 May 2007 20:27 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/reading-materials/37538/3 "2007-05-11T20:27:04Z")
quoth the Concours:
> I've recently been turned on to Ruby and Rails, and after some
> preliminary searching, I've settled on two sources to help get things
> started.
>
> 1) Beginning Ruby: From Novice to Professional (Expert's Voice in Open
> Source)
> 2) Agile Web Development with Rails (Pragmatic Programmers)
>
> I believe book #2 is referred to as the "pickaxe" in the Rails
> community? Have I made a good choice on materials, or are there some
> other books I should be looking into?
The 'pickaxe book' is "Programming Ruby: The Pragmatic Programmers' Guide" by
the same publisher. It focuses on core Ruby, rather than Rails.
I do recommend it, and in fact it is the only Ruby book I have (but I have not
used Rails, nor do I intend to).
-d
> **···**
>
> --
> darren kirby :: Part of the problem since 1976 :: [http://badcomputer.org](http://badcomputer.org)
> "...the number of UNIX installations has grown to 10, with more expected..."
> - Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson, June 1972
---
### Author:  [@Bill\_Guindon1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Bill_Guindon1)
#### Post date: [11 May 2007 20:37 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/reading-materials/37538/4 "2007-05-11T20:37:30Z")
> I've recently been turned on to Ruby and Rails, and after some
> preliminary searching, I've settled on two sources to help get things
> started.
>
> 1) Beginning Ruby: From Novice to Professional (Expert's Voice in Open
> Source)
> 2) Agile Web Development with Rails (Pragmatic Programmers)
>
> I believe book #2 is referred to as the "pickaxe" in the Rails
> community? Have I made a good choice on materials, or are there some
> other books I should be looking into?
>
> As a brief background, I've been developing websites and web
> applications for the past 8 years (primarily in the ASP environment). I
> have a good grasp on OO programming, but haven't really gotten any one
> particular language under my belt.
>
> Thanks for any advice!
Some others to consider:
Ruby for Rails
> **[Ruby for Rails: Ruby Techniques for Rails Developers: David Black:...](https://www.amazon.com/Ruby-Rails-Techniques-Developers/dp/1932394699)**
>
> Ruby for Rails: Ruby Techniques for Rails Developers \[David Black\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Ruby for Rails: Ruby Techniques for Rails Developers
Rails Recipes
[http://www.pragmaticprogrammer.com/titles/fr\_rr/](http://www.pragmaticprogrammer.com/titles/fr_rr/)
Ruby Cookbook
> **[Ruby Cookbook](https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/ruby-cookbook/0596523696/)**
>
> Do you want to push Ruby to its limits? The Ruby Cookbook is the most comprehensive problem-solving guide to today's hottest programming language. It gives you hundreds of solutions to … - Selection from Ruby Cookbook \[Book\]
And there are more listed here:
[http://wiki.rubygarden.org/Ruby/page/show/RubyBookList](http://wiki.rubygarden.org/Ruby/page/show/RubyBookList)
> **···**
>
> On 5/11/07, Concours \ wrote:
>
> > --
> > Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/\](http://www.ruby-forum.com/%5C).
>
> --
> Bill Guindon (aka aGorilla)
> The best answer to most questions is "it depends".
---
### Author:  [@Christian\_Luginbuehl](https://rubytalk.org/u/Christian_Luginbuehl)
#### Post date: [12 May 2007 01:06 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/reading-materials/37538/5 "2007-05-12T01:06:07Z")
> 2) Agile Web Development with Rails (Pragmatic Programmers)
>
> I believe book #2 is referred to as the "pickaxe" in the Rails
> community? Have I made a good choice on materials, or are there some
> other books I should be looking into?
As you probably have read already, the PickAxe Book is "Programming
Ruby", but let me say, that in my opinion, #2 is the number one book for
learning Ruby on Rails.
When I stated using Rails I found it very helpful to have quite some
understanding of Ruby as a programming language to get into (and
acknowledge) the thought-out internals of Rails.
So, if you want to get to know Ruby, get the PickAxe book (a.k.a.
'Programming Ruby') and if you want you get into Rails, get 'Agile Web
Development with Rails' as starters.
I can't tell you much about others, but some: 'Rails Recipes' is more
for intermediate Rails programmers that start to create some "real" apps
and need some advice and hints on how things should/can be done. I also
read 'The Ruby Way' which also is not for total Ruby noobs but very
helpful with lots of good real-world example code. I read some very good
reviews about 'Ruby for Rails' but never read it personally.
Cheers,
Christian Luginbuehl
---
### Author:  [@Rick\_DeNatale1](https://rubytalk.org/u/Rick_DeNatale1)
#### Post date: [12 May 2007 03:22 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/reading-materials/37538/6 "2007-05-12T03:22:11Z")
And make sure that you get the second edition of each.
> **···**
>
> On 5/11/07, Christian Luginbuehl \ wrote:
>
> > So, if you want to get to know Ruby, get the PickAxe book (a.k.a.
> > 'Programming Ruby') and if you want you get into Rails, get 'Agile Web
> > Development with Rails' as starters.
>
> --
> Rick DeNatale
>
> My blog on Ruby
> [http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/](http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/)
---
### Author:  [@James\_Britt](https://rubytalk.org/u/James_Britt)
#### Post date: [12 May 2007 05:23 UTC](https://rubytalk.org/t/reading-materials/37538/7 "2007-05-12T05:23:24Z")
I think you chose a good book for learning Ruby. And THE book for learning Rails. I've got both books.
But you need the actually pickaxe book, Programming Ruby, as a reference manual. It is not the best tutorial for beginners. It's fine for the programmer experienced with another language or 2, but it does make an excellent place to look things up when you have questions.
If you're a super beginner, check out Learn to Program, by Mr. Pine. It's a gentle introduction.
If you're interested in a wild ride, check out Why's Poignant Guide .
The Ruby Cook Book is also interesting to have around. It's only weakness is that it covers Rails while there is also a Rails cookbook. It should have gotten on some of the topics covered in the Perl, Python, and PHP cookbooks.