Although I''ve been told that the Sams Teach yourself book is good. After reading through it I just can''t agree with that conclusion. I highly suggest "The C++ Primer Plus" by Stephen Prata. This book was used as my college C++ text, and is written for beginners. It contains a wealth of information, and it''s usefullness extends much farther than the 24hr time period, which is what a refrence is for. As for price..it''s $24.99 on amazon right now, so it''s not much more expensive than the teach yourself book.