Rating:  - The Book on C
This is the book to have on the C language. A great reference and a great read. This book has been very influential in the field of technical books, often imitated. I recommend it to beginners to advanced programmers.
Rating: - The definitive C reference bok
This is THE definitive C language reference.
I wouldn't want to try to learn to program in C from it unless I were already an experience programmer, and it isn't that useful for Windows programming, but this is the book that every experienced Unix C programmer has open on their desk.
Rating: - Timeless. Simply Essential. Simply the Best.
The "K & R", as it is widely known has a reputation of both being the pure encapsulation of and a terse discourse in the C Language. Both characterizations have equal merit. That being said, this shockingly succinct (at only 272 pages) publication is both tutorial and reference. In short, more of the "madness behind the method" is covered in this tome than the unwieldy but for some reason mandated college texts from the likes of Deitel or from the more cursory "Dummies" efforts. From the onset, the authors waste no time jumping into each concept with solid code examples. At first these may seem a little complex and in actuality they are--many of the standard library functions are stepped through to drive across such concepts. The authors preface with "C is not a big language", and that is true, however when one considers how the "B-52" of programming languages has been the linguistic basis for the more popular Java, C# and C++ (not to mention what for Ruby, Perl and Python are implemented in) the essence of this work by the authors of the language cannot be overstated. This is written with the student of the programming art in mind, whether at the collegiate or professional level. This should be a required introduction for Comp Sci or Engineering majors to that art, and every serious programming student or practitioner should own it. Given that it still holds its original value, chances are most do. Don't let the price fool you--The C Programming Language is worth its weight in gold!
Rating:  - Not as good as "C: A Reference Manual"
Everyone goes on about K&R ... God's of C etc. etc. Yes, they may have invented the language but you would think otherwise from reading this book.
I programmed C for an embedded system for years and often sought answers about the very lowest level, nitty-gritty details of C. For a while I turned to this book, but soon learnt from experience that I could ALWAYS find the answer, or a better answer, in "C: A Reference Manual".
This book was published in 1988 and is showing its age. It has not been updated with the latest ANSI/ISO standardizations. It is also very dated in it's layout, typography, approach etc.
Summary: If you want the definitive C reference book, buy "C: A Reference Manual". It's not 1988 anymore - move on people!! Skip this book.
Rating: - My First C Book.
The Best book to start with. This was my first C Book. I still treasure it. One of the classics still floating around.
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