The material in the book flows well from a simple bound list example all the way to some complex Windows and Web examples. Throughout the book, the standard Northwind database is used. Essentially all of the code uses the generic OleDB approach so the code would work with either SQL Server or Access; Barker points out the few differences between using the two approaches.

The general approach in the book follows a format of stating a business problem, a Technique section where the approach is discussed, then a series of numbered Steps, a How It Works section that completes any necessary fine points and finally a Comments section for additional information. Scattered throughout are small Note and Tip sections with pencil & light bulb icons - many are real gems, not to be missed.

A great deal of ground is covered in its 500 pages - essentially all the information one would need to build a respectable Windows or Web based application. If you're looking for information to build a robust n-tier application, there are other books which explain how to split the code between the tiers, this book gives a good foundation for that.

I noticed only a few inconsequential typos. The book was a pleasure to go through and presents a broad and reasonably deep coverage of the subject material.