Head First vs. Head Rush
Elisabeth Freeman:
From the Head First newsletter (shameless plug):
So, what exactly is Head Rush? Author Brett McLaughlin says it best, "It's kind of like drinking a Slurpee on a really hot day," he explains. "You're burning up, the Slurpee's nice and cold, so you take a big hit
and--yow!--you get instant brain freeze. That's the way Head Rush works."
Brett McLaughlin:
Thanks Beth... I didn't remember that Slurpee comment, actually
Anyway, I'd say the biggest difference between Head First and Head Rush is that Head Rush is more tightly focused. In other words, Head Rush takes a smaller body of knowledge, and really focuses very specifically on that, without taking a lot of tangents or detours. So, in the case of Head Rush Ajax, we're focusing very specifically on Ajax -- and not on PHP, or lots of JavaScript that doesn't relate to Ajax, or HTML, or CSS, or .... [insert slightly off-topic technology here].
That's not to say we fly through the material; the first 100 pages of Head Rush Ajax really ground you in the JavaScript request object you use to make asynchronous requests, and we take our time on that. But, because the focus is so tight, it makes it possible to cover a smallish topic in 400 pages. Since most HF books are like 700 pages, that's quite a thing
It's also true that Head Rush is -slightly- faster paced, although not a ton. We do assume you're working alongside, and the look and feel of the book is also slightly edgier. But, still totally accessible. If you know just a little JavaScript (emphasis on "little"), and have a copy of HF HTML/CSS lying around, you're very ready to take on Head Rush Ajax.