Reader reviews

The clearest explanation of data visualization I have come across.

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. Some of the material is available elsewhere, but rarely presented this clearly. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. This is the book I wish had existed when I started working with data visualization.

Better than I expected. Rare to find a technical book this well judged.

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. The book rewards careful reading. Skimming it would be a mistake. A few of the examples could be more realistic, but the underlying points come across clearly. The progression from chapter to chapter is well thought out; nothing feels out of order. One of those books that pays for itself within the first few chapters. Highly recommended.

The clearest explanation of psychology I have come across.

I had been on the fence about this one for a while, and I should have bought it sooner. There is a section near the end that ties several earlier ideas together in a way I had not seen before. The balance between theory and practice is well judged; neither side dominates. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.

I got a lot out of this, even if a few sections felt rushed.

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. It is denser than the page count suggests, and I found myself slowing down around the middle. There is a section near the end that ties several earlier ideas together in a way I had not seen before. Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a gentle introduction.

Outstanding. I kept finding reasons to come back to it.

A colleague recommended this and I can see why. It does something that few technical books manage: it respects the reader's time. The code samples assume a particular environment, which took a bit of fiddling to get running properly. The writing is direct and does not waste space on filler, which I value in a technical book. The code samples assume a particular environment, which took a bit of fiddling to get running properly. If you have the prerequisites, this is an easy recommendation. I will be keeping it on my desk rather than the shelf.

Almost excellent. A second edition could easily push it to five stars.

I came to this book already familiar with the basics, and it still had plenty to offer. I appreciated the honesty about what the book does not cover — it saved me from expecting things that were not there. I found myself making notes in the margins, which is always a good sign. Recommended, with the caveat that it is not a gentle introduction.