ASP.NET Developer's Cook is what it says - if you already know the basics of ASP.NET programming, this is THE guide for getting productively going with ASP.NET. As such, it's relevant to intermediate as well as advanced developers. It's the perfect addition to your library pf books to have when working on .NET projects, simply because of the range of topics it covers, and in that, the quality of coverage. You get the facts - and more importantly, the code - to get up and running quickly. Authored by Smith & Howard, it's penned by some of the most brilliant minds in the ASP.NET community today, with contributions from some of its most active and reliable personalities, so you know you're getting the good stuff straight from the source.

At 400 pages, the book is short and concise, giving you a powerful tool to use in your everyday work, and not some monolithic compendium you'll have to shatter the spine of filtering through for simple information. It wastes no time in explaining the purpose for a concept and then showing how to do it. You won't learn the idiosyncrasies of a .NET language, but you will get working with code. Also, as a more personal preference, I really appreciate Sams Publishing for the physical binding of the book - it's strong and will put up with the normal wear-and-tear you'll give it as a developer.

The latter-half of the book is awesome and where it truly distances itself from other titles out on the market. Topics such as using graphics, threading, and remoting are discussed at longer length than most books, making it more relevant in a wider array of environments.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK
- best-practices are enforced throughout the code samples
- the book's arrangement makes sense, making it easy to find a certain topic
- the book is productive from the onset, not dilly-dallying around with historical perspectives, Microsoft marketing fluff (sorry, Rob), or the product's significance within the scope of computer science. You can find what you need and start working immediately.
- editorial snafus are present in a few code samples, but are minimal
- the Table of Contents is arranged in a way you can actually use, citing the location for all code samples. This is a pet peeve of mine for most tech books, but not here.
- Chapter 6 - ASP.NET Application Configuration has a fantastic discussion on using web.config, one of the better ones to have come around in recent history
- code samples are presented the way I think all ASP.NET books should be - with raw code only, and then mentioning thereafter how to perform the same action in Visual Studio .NET, not forcing a marriage between the book and the IDE down the reader's throat. This is great for those not using VS.NET, who quite often become confused with the added code and references.
- Chapter 10 is a great, healthy discussion on integrating ADO.NET
- Chapter 21 has awesome information on using LDAP/ADSI directory services; this is something not too often written in ASP.NET texts, and is really helpful
- Chapter 21 - Internet Tasks and Techniques was a welcome addition, giving you numerous examples of screen scraping under varying conditions (e.g., avoiding page redirects, using a given browser et al.).

WHAT I THINK NEEDS WORK FOR THE 2ND EDITION
- I was rather disappointed at the code samples being 100% in Visual Basic .NET in the book (again, a personal quirk). Perhaps Sams has plans to release a C#-only version as well, if not mirroring the code examples, which would understandably baloon the book's size. However, the downloadable code from the book's site on SamsPublishing.com contains all examples in both C# and VB.NET.
- I was surprised at a lack of information about programming in the HTTP pipeline, specifically content on creating custom HTTP handlers or HTTP modules.
- content on mobile controls was very brief and left out some key features.
- The book did not use any pictures or visual elements to reinforce the concepts, outside of the book's colophon - the reader is left to use their mind's eye to envision what the code samples look like when produced. But maybe this is the point - the experienced ASP.NET dev wouldn't want/need to. :)
Overall, I'd give this 5 out of 5 stars (if such were my rating system). This is a must-have addition to any ASP.NET developer's library. Because of the breadth of topics covered, with the clarity and brevity presented used by the authors, you're going to learn something new.