LINQ in Action - THE LINQ book

Since our LINQ in Action book was published last month, we are lucky to receive a lot of nice feedback and comments. Steve, Jim, and I worked hard to make LINQ in Action a book that readers would enjoy. It's very encouraging to see what readers think about our work!

Here is a list of reviews and quotes that I have collected, in no particular order. Follow the links to read the complete reviews.

(If you see reviews that are not listed here, please let me know.)

Rick Strahl - Book Review: LINQ in Action (MVP, West Wind Technologies)

Just got done reading LINQ in Action and it's an excellent read. Rarely do I read books cover to cover, but this book definitely made me want to go through the whole thing as it's full of little gems of information, things I didn't know and lots of new ideas I can hopefully apply soon.
[...]
Definitely worthwhile... check it out.

Paul Wilson - Review of Excellent Book: Linq in Action / The Best Linq Book Available (Software consultant/architect/developer)

"LINQ in Action", published by Manning, is by far the best book available on Linq, both for those new to Linq and those already following it.  The authors, Fabrice Marguerie, Steve Eichert, and Jim Wooley, have done a fabulous job of explaining Linq from the basics to the advanced.  They even made it enjoyable to read, which makes it one of the best .Net books ever!
[...]

Valerio A. -  Excellent Linq Book (Belgium)

I am a newbie both in visual basic and Linq, and I have to say that this book is really great. It provides a LOT of understandable explanations, that are so useful for who's not a guru already.
There are tons of examples, plus quite a lot online resources that can be extremely useful.
Great book, probably one of the best on LINQ subject, and it's definitely worth the price

Roger Jennings - LINQ In Action Has Gone to the Printer (Principal consultant of OakLeaf Systems, author of 30+ books on Microsoft technologies)

I have all the LINQ books currently published, including the eBook version of LINQ in Action and this is by far the best.

Sam Gentile - New and Notable 218 (Connected Systems Practice Lead East at Neudesic, INETA Speaker, Microsoft Solutions Architect MVP)

I can tell you that I have the LINQ books, and this is by far the best.

Daniel Mezick (1) - An excellent LINQ tutorial from a GREAT set of explainers (Author, New Technology Solutions Inc.)

As soon as I opened this book, what became obvious was the fantastic ability of the authors to explain the deep technical subject matter. [...] The authors of LINQ IN ACTION do a fantastic job of explaining, much like a great instructor/teacher is capable of doing. This makes it a great book.[...] The bonus in this book is the fantastic code samples that serve as a companion to the title.
[...]
The authors and Manning are to be commended for a job VERY well done.

Daniel Mezick (2) (Author, New Technology Solutions Inc.)

This is one of the best overall tutorial texts on software development I have ever come across in 15 years of delivering developer training.
It's a truly GREAT book. It is completely obvious that the lead author is an instructor. Only an instructor has the experience and perspective to structure a book in this way. The flow is excellent and very easy to follow.

Daniel Mezick (3) (Author, New Technology Solutions Inc.)

As an author and full time trainer of software developers, I can say without reservation that LINQ IN ACTION is a title of the highest quality. I believe my professional background makes mevery qualified to make this statement about your book. (mail to Fabrice)

Nathan Blevins

For the record, LINQ in Action ROCKS! I feel like I am diving pretty deep. So worth the $$ and the best book I have bought in a while.

David Hayden - Book Review: LINQ in Action (MVP, USA)

[...] The book is not only a good read, but a great reference manual when you come across problems. [...] I highly recommend LINQ In Action, It is enjoyable to read as well as a good reference for your development.

Mike Hadlow - LINQ to String

I'm currently reading the excellent Linq in Action by Marguerie, Eichert and Wooley. It's great exposition of all things Linq and there are lots really well explained examples. [...] In the book the authors show a similar function that reads a file line by line and they use it to enumerate over a csv file. The resulting syntax is extremely neat, but I'll let you buy the book and see it for yourself:)

Chris Tavares

For a good book on Linq, I really like Linq in Action by Fabrice Marguerie, Steve Eichert and Jim Wooley.
Well written, covers both the "how do I use" and "how does it work" questions in thorough style.

William G. Ryan - A great book from start to finish (USA)

[...] It's a great book and IMHO, the authors are to be commended for putting it together. Although I've found all of the LINQ books I've come across to be very good - this one made an impression and it's excellent from start to finish.

Michael Collins - Book review: LINQ in Action (Sogeti Phoenix) 

[...]
LINQ in Action is an excellent introduction to LINQ, or Language INtegrated Query, that was introduced with .NET 3.5. [...]
While I haven't made it all the way through the book, I do have to say that what I've learned about LINQ and .NET through the first few chapters has opened my eyes to a lot of new features of the .NET Framework.  I can't wait to start using them in my own programs and blogging about them here.

Maor David - LINQ in Action: Book Review

[...]
The book targets the .NET developers who know C# (2.0) or VB.NET (8.0): Whether you don't know LINQ or you already know - this book is for you. Read it!
For me, it was a pleasure to read it: smooth, clear, didactic and effective.
[...]
To summarize: for me, this is the only required book for learning LINQ. if you want to know LINQ and love it, you must read this book!!!
LINQ in Action - 5 stars in Maor's index.

Benjamin Day (C# MVP)

I’ve been diving into the LINQ in Action book over the last few days. It’s quite good. Nice code examples. (mail to Manning)

Julie Lerman - LINQ in Action - In Print and In my Hands!

Congrats to Jim Wooley, Fabrice Marguerie and Steve Eichert! And THANKS for writing it. It's been a long haul! I have really been anticipating this book!

Patrick Smacchia (1) (C# MVP) 

[...] And I can tell that the amount of work was huge to make sure to provide and in-depth coverage of the technology. [...] I think that the authors made a great job at writing a book that can be read from cover to cover. [...]

Patrick Smacchia (2) - An excellent in-depth tour through LINQ (C# MVP)

The book is very well-written and very comprehensive. [...] I found that a lot of energy has been put in pedagogy for readers that come with a classical OOP background. [...]
Here also the authors worked really hard to explain properly the 'why/when/how to' things and to anticipate just in time the questions you might have. [...]

Paschal Leloup - [Book review] LINQ in Action / A must read (developers.ie)

[...] We have here three well known experts in their fields (Fabrice Marguerie, Steve Eichert, Jim Wooley) coming together to produce an excellent text book on LINQ. [...]

Joe Feser

[...] The book is awesome. Very high quality print. [...]

Dan Wahlin

I just purchased the EBook version of the LINQ in Action book and have found it to be very good so far.

Barry Gervin - LINQ in Action

Just a quick post to promote an excellent book on LINQ. I downloaded early editions of this as it was being written and it is an excellent reference on LINQ. It is now available to buy in printed form so if anyone has the slightest interest in LINQ they should buy this book now.

Mohammad Azam (1) (ASP.NET MVP, University of Houston)

Covers LINQ, inside & out. (From the book's cover)

Mohammad Azam (2) (ASP.NET MVP, University of Houston)

Just like to tell you that the book "LINQ in Action" is super awesome! I reviewed it and I must say this will be the only required book for learning LINQ. I loved the book! (mail to Fabrice)

Ben Hayat (1) (Software developer, USA)

Just got the final eBook - Very, very Nice!
The content was great so far, but now with adding the new pointers with numbers, proper colors, diagrams and so on, makes the book first class.
I had gotten other books on Linq, and this book is simply the BEST!
You guys have put a lot of efforts into this book. You should be proud of the result!

Ben Hayat (2) (Software developer, USA)

First thing you notice, that the author's mind was not racing when he wrote a section. I've read books, that from one paragraph to the next, you suddenly feel, you lost a whole chapter there or jumps to a totally different subject. This book is very smooth. I don't know about you guys, but when I read Scott Guthrie's blog (especially the technical ones), I feel like everything sinks right in. Well, that's how this book feels.
Secondly, I've bought and read other Linq books. I don't understand how other authors, miss the point that Linq is made up of a series of new technologies and if you don't know them, you're not going to get a good foundation on your Linq knowledge. This book does a great job bringing you to that point.
When you read this book, you want to do Linq programming...

Ben Hayat (3) (Software developer, USA)

[...] Now, why this book? Among all the materials and books I've read on this subject, this is the only book that truly follow this path. You follow the book, you learn LINQ. It's as simple as this!
I was involved with the "Early Access" program on this book and I saw how these three authors worked to make it better and better. They listened to readers and made it better. I wish other authors would take the time to write their book as well as this book. I give it Five stars!!!

Stefaans (Developer, Boston)

You folks are to be congratulated on the production of the first chapter. It is well written and much better that other "MS Press book" that have been translated from Italian to English :-) Your wording is concise, the examples are good. I learnt more from the first 32 pages that I have from the 176 pages that I have read "in the other book". The first chapter reads well, little waffling. The examples are great. Well done.

Leo Brown (Software developer)

I have really enjoyed this book. LINQ is something that I have prayed for since the start of .NET. Finally there is a elegant bridge between the object and relational worlds. You have done a very good job of presenting the material.

Ben Hall (C# developer/tester at Red Gate Software, UK)

I just wanted to comment on how good I have found this book. The book doesn't just focus on Linq to SQL, but instead covers all aspects of the framework so you will have a great understanding.

Bas Peters (IT Specialist, The Netherlands)

The book is absolutely very informative. It really got me started understanding and using LINQ.

Matt Warren (Principal Architect, Microsoft)

It’s like they threw a party for LINQ and everyone who’s anyone showed up. (from the book's foreword and cover)

Javier Lozano (lozanotek.com)

Great if you want to fully grok LINQ. (from the book's cover)

Adlai Maschiach

What can I say - A GREAT BOOK. Loved it, liked it - if you want to get into LINQ regardless of your previous knowledge THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU !! [...]

Bruno Boucard (1) (Microsoft France)

Very useful—both straightforward and pragmatic. (from the book's cover)

Bruno Boucard (2) - The best way to learn and use LINQ every day (Microsoft France)

[...] Fabrice Marguerie, Steve Eichert and Jim Wooley have succeeded a excellent book that everybody must have when LINQ technologies are involved.
This book is without doubt the best way to learn and use LINQ every day.

Jon Skeet (C# MVP and author of C# in Depth)

Teaches you to think in LINQ. Wonderfully complete. (from the book's cover)

Tomas Restrepo (MVP, co-founder of devdeo ltda)

A great guide to all things LINQ! (from the book's cover)

Andrea Colaci - Good job (Senior Consultant and Trainer, Italy)

Very good book, I have read entirely in few days. The book goes beyond basic topics related to Linq and Linq2XXX, it also talk about different ways to use Linq and how it could be adopted either in RAD or full layered scenarios.
Good code samples included.

Wolfeitz (Web App Developer, USA)

For anyone looking to learn more, "LINQ in Action" is fantastic.  It is the first Manning publication I've purchased but it will certainly not by my last now.

Ben Callister (CTO, USA)

I loved LINQ in Action. I read it cover-to-cover, which is unusual for me. It truly is a great book.

Dave Ward

I'm having a hard time putting down LINQ in Action, to do my actual job! It's a great read, so far. (mail to Manning) 

Tad Anderson - This book is a pure pleasure to read...

This book is a pure pleasure to read. The presentation of content is awesome. They breakdown code in a new refreshing way that I have not seen before. [...]
The book presents both VB.NET and C# code examples. This is definitely cool. [...]
The downloadable code is very well organized and is very usable. The authors have a great support site.
I highly recommend any developer moving into .NET 3.5 add this book to their library. It will arm you with everything you need to produce production level code.

Eric Engler (1) - One of the best .NET books ever written

I am an avid reader of .NET books so it's pretty hard to impress me. But the authors of this book have gone so far beyond expectations that I simply had to take note. First, this is one of the best researched books you'll ever see. Second, it's extremely well written and easy to read. Third, they've really dominated this complex subject! They have anticipated all your questions and you'll see the answers within the text. You definitely won't need to turn anywhere else for LINQ info.
This book is refreshing because it's all new and original. They didn't simply regurgitate the MSDN documentation, and their examples are clear and relevant. And the authors frequently participate in online forums and they offer great support for the book. This is not a "hit and run" orphan book!
After reading the excellent ASP.NET AJAX In Action title from the same publisher, I was doubtful if lightning could strike twice. But it did. Buy this book!

Eric Engler (2)

I just got your LINQ book through the early access program – WOW, this is a good book! I can see a huge effort there, and in the book’s online forums. You guys knocked yourself out. That’s good for us, but it probably put a damper on your private life! (mail to Jim)

Ben Mills - Best book I've read in a while

Though I love to read reviews, it's very rare that I actually contribute and write a review. However, I just had to say that this is an EXCELLENT book. I use C# every day and I would say I'm a competent programmer, but I've really been struggling to understand LINQ. I've read some articles online and I've been trying to work my way through another LINQ book, but it hasn't really been sinking in. Then I picked up this book at a local Barnes & Noble. After reading 10 pages in the store coffee shop, I knew I had to buy it, even though I was sure it would be cheaper to buy on Amazon.
It's the best tech book I've read in a while. I find that way too many IT books are way too verbose. I like the books that clearly and quickly explain a topic, maybe with an example, but only when needed. LINQ is a big complex topic, but this book really tackled the topics in a sensible order that made LINQ accessible [...]
Highly recommended.

Alex James - Great detailed information (Microsoft)

This book is a fantastic resource on LINQ. Yeah sure I know two of the Authors (Steve and Fabrice) so I'm a little biased, but that just makes me happier that they did such a good job covering LINQ.
The thing I liked best is that the book doesn't talk down to the reader, has great depth, and somehow is still easy to read.

Peter Evans - A Decent Book

[...] This is a pretty good presentation on Linq. [...] Nice balance of prose with many code snippets.
[...] I feel like I gained a good grasp of the material, and am well positioned to start doing serious work with it. [...]

David Vidmar - LINQ in Action makes LINQ seem smaller (Slovenia)

[...] The regular developer who doesn't have a lot of time to learn will need years to conquer the art of all that is LINQ. But after reading LINQ in Action I realized this is not the case. The book systematically explains LINQ and since you probably already know something about LINQ, it fills the gaps. It's fast to read and has a nice flow. [...]

Daniel Crenna

I enjoy this book for its practical advice without trying to cover up any holes in the inaugural edition of LINQ. (****)

Adron B. Hall 

I actually waited specifically for this book. After thumbing through some of the others I just wasn't really stoked about them. This book though, definitely rocks.

Fatih Senel

I bought LINQ in Action about a week ago. I think this book is perfect with checkout subjects,examples, etc. You did great job. Thank you for this great source!! (mail to Fabrice)

1 Hour Coder - Plodding Into LINQ

[...] I can agree with the other reviews I’ve seen, it really is a great book to start picking up Linq and some of the newer concepts in 3.0/3.5 […]
Time Spent: roughly 2 hours [...]
Repeat This Approach? Hell yes, this was time well spent.

T. Angel - One of the best resources for LINQ available today

During my attempts to learn LINQ and implement it into my work, I've searched several sites looking for answers related to syntax, deferred execution, LINQ to XML, LINQ to SQL, and LINQ performance statistics. I spent hours going from one site or blog post to the next. This book covers all of these topic and more. If only I had this book sooner...

Luca Tarrini

The book that I consider the best about LINQ at the moment!

Mark Wisecarver (Microsoft Technical Evangelist for discountasp.net)

If you'd like to pick up a study book I highly recommend LINQ in Action.

Paolo Pignatelli - Clear and cogent instruction on a central technology (USA) 

Linq in Action is a clear and deep presentation of a technology that, even in its first incarnation, is increasing the productivity of programmers, and setting an even higher standard for dynamic websites and programs. The authors, who were instrumental in the development of Linq, proceed in an intuitive path from the basics of the technology, all the way to very sophisticated ideas and examples. The authors also participate online to answer questions and add even more material for an even more through presentation. I recommend this book for any developer or aspiring developer.

Carlo Pagliei - Good and complete book (Italy)

A good book, very complete and full of infos. All topics are well and deeply explained. [...] 

Pierre Kovacs - La référence sur Linq (Software architect, Société Générale, France)

Conformement au titre de la serie "in action", les auteurs ont realise un livre tres operationnel. La clarte des exemples et la fluidite du cheminement logique permettent de fixer rapidement et durablement la connaissance et les bons reflexes. Et pour ceux qui veulent aller plus loin, les auteurs partagent des reflexions etonnament matures sur une technologie recente et sur les concepts actuels de la place de l'acces aux donnees dans nos applications.
Indispensable a la reussite des projets.

Bruno Boucard (3) - Le meilleur moyen d'apprendre et d'utiliser LINQ tous les jours (Microsoft France)

Après une très bonne introduction sur les "comment" et le "pourquoi" LINQ, vous découvrirez alors comment et pourquoi 3.0 C # et VB 9.0 ont évolués dans Visual Studio 2008.
Le reste de l'ouvrage est dédié à toutes les implémentations LINQ installées par Visual Studio 2008 (Remarque: le chapitre LINQ pour DataSet est disponible uniquement sur le Web). Mais le meilleur est sans doute dans le chapitre 12, où l'on découvre la manière de concevoir et de construire un nouveau fournisseur LINQ: LINQ pour Amazon!
Fabrice Marguerie, Steve Eichert Wooley et Jim ont réussi un excellent livre que tout le monde doit avoir lorsque l'une des technologies LINQ est impliquée.
Ce livre est sans aucun doute le meilleur moyen d'apprendre et d'utiliser LINQ tous les jours.

Pierrick Gourlain - "Linq in Action" what else? (MVP, France)

Le titre résume bien le contenu. On découvre dans ce livre les différentes manières d'utiliser LINQ, le tout par l'exemple (VB et C#). Et même si vous connaissez déjà LINQ, on peut s'en servir de "dictionnaire", je pense notamment aux mécanismes d'extensions de LINQ, que l'on utilise pas forcement tous les jours.
Et si vous êtes du genre "comment ça marche ?", le livre couvre les sujets tels que la présentation des nouvelles fonctionnalités des languages C# et VB, les arbres d'expressions, en passant par la problématique liée aux performances.
En bref un "Must have".

Thomas Lebrun - Un livre pour tous les développeurs .NET 3.5 - (bis) (MVP, France)

Je dois admettre que je suis très impressionné par ce livre. Non pas par le niveau technique du livre (je n'en attendais pas moins de la part des auteurs ;) ) mais surtout par la pédagogie employée pour expliquer des concepts qui peuvent, parfois, sembler compliqués/déroutants à des développeurs amateurs ou ne connaissant pas le sujet.
Tout ceux qui ont déjà écrit des livres (ou encore des articles) savent qu'il n'est pas simple d'expliquer et de retranscrire des notions complexes.
Les auteurs de ce livre ont parfaitement réussit ce challenge: il est donc à la fois très technique (n'oubliez pas que LINQ n'est pas une mince affaire) mais très bien expliqué, ce qui le rend d'autant plus intéressant !
Bref, pour tous ceux qui veulent en savoir plus sur les entrailles de LINQ, son fonctionnement, etc... ou bien pour tout ceux qui veulent savoir comment l'utiliser (et bien l'utiliser), alors je ne saurais que trop recommander ce livre !

Matthieu Guyonnet-Duluc (France)

[...]Un très bon livre pour apprendre et surtout apprécier les subtilités de Linq[...]