I am looking for my next PHP/mySQL book. I'm just barely past the beginner stage, but need something well organized with good examples. Right now, I have:
PHP and MySQL Web Development, which got good reviews on Amazon.com and BookPool.com. For me, it's okay, but it doesn't have enough complete examples.
PHP4, A Beginner's Guide, which isn't great IMHO. Examples are sometimes comfusing and the reviews for it stink. I bought it cold at Books-A-Million just to get something to read on my way out of town one day.
PHP by Example, which I liked better than the Beginner's Guide, but still got awful reviews. I purchased it under similar circumstances. I personally had a bit more success with this book and was able to figure out how to write a script to send an email to sign up for a service. However, I had to go into a script pool to find one to work out the last bug which ticked me off a bit.
I've looked at the two O'Reilly Books (Programming PHP [4 *s] and Web Database Applications with PHP & MySQL [4.5 *s])at Amazon and they seem to be getting good reviews. Any ideas, preferences, likes/dislikes, would be greatly appreciated? Also, I think O'Reilly is coming out with a PHP Cookbook in November. Does anyone have any advance information on this book? A GOOD cookbook style books is really what I want.
