Head First Design Patterns

If you have ever read the original text book published by the Gang Of Four and found it a difficult read and then given up on trying to know design patterns! - This book is for you. I was introduced to this book by justice gray a while back but was never able to really get the opportunity to read it. After having started just the first chapter - I am hooked!!! I can't tell you how refreshing a read this book is compared to all the other technical books I've ever read.

The focus of this book is to introduce some really fundamental concepts that are coming to the surface in software and make them appealing to the average developer like me. I have always wanted to know patterns, always wanted to understand how to architect really good software...I believe that this book and the ideas within it will help me achieve this goal.

The book takes a different approach by trying to teach a concept from the perspective of having you to 1. Remember what you are reading and 2. Apply what you are reading all at the same time. They use short examples that target what they are talking about without strangling the dev with tons of sample code. It also has great pictures and side bar comments that are hilarious.

It is published by O-Reilly books and has a strange cover but I highly recommend it.