My favourite part so far is the introduction to variables. The author describes memory as a sheet of graph paper, and points out that if one had enough graph paper to represent 16 megabytes, it would take up an area "approximately 85.33 feet wide and 85.33 feet high." (What is 'approximate' about taking a measurement to two decimal places? Why would it be measured in height and width instead of length and width? Am I supposed to imagine all those sheets of graph paper standing on end?) He goes on to point out that if each square of graph paper actually represented a bit instead of a byte, then 16 megabytes would actually cover three football fields. (In case people don't know what graph paper or a football field looks like, there are illustrations of each.)

After instructing the reader to imagine three football fields covered in graph paper, comes the punchline: "Now that you have a general idea of what memory looks like, you can start to understand how the different variable types work." Priceless!

Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe this guy was intentionally trying to be funny. He later mentions that a programmer "will invariably start using variables" and defines Constants this way: "Constants are nonvariable variables."

In short, if you are already a programmer, pick this up for the laughs. Everyone else should leave it in the bargain bin.