In fact, the way both books teach you are very similar. Murach has kept the best single innovation for beginners - paired page formatting. What this means is that if you open the book to any given page, on the left side you'll see text on some programming technique, on the right side will be an image with graphical illustration describing what you just read. This method helps the newbie avoid getting lost in the jargon.

Another cool thing about this book that sets it apart from other "for newbiew" titles is that you actually learn how to write business apps. So it saves you at least a bit of aggravation.

Anyway, you'll learn the following: how to build user interfaces for either web or winforms, including menus, toolbars, treeviews, etc..., how to create classes, work with XML and other attributes of programming, like dates, strings, arrays, collections, structures, files, folders, etc....

Then, you'll read about database programming, ADO.NET, bound controls, queries. Don't skim on this one. The book also has solid chapters on ASP.NET applications, web services.

Keep in mind you'll have a ton of fully coded actual business applications to look at and compare. Just this alone should hike your programming potential.

Anyway, if you are looking to get into programming or you are a newbie to medium programmer, this is the one.