The following statement made by the Author doesn't sound like a programmer (leave C++ expert alone).
"I think I once managed to read all the way through Stroustrup’s The C++ Programming Language and have looked at at least parts of The Design and Evolution of C++. But I have never done any serious programming in it."
All I can say is, any programmer worth his mettle would make such a statement... Going through Stroustrups's book isn't possible if you're not interested in C++ programming (given that its not part of For Dummies series), IMHO. It is exactly like comparing it to a Novel. A programming guide is not about reading, its about learning.
I'm not sure what you mean. Have you read Stroustrup's book? It was my first "practical" intro to object oriented programming, and I struggled with it.
I would describe it as Byzantine technology explained with an economy of words that approaches poetry, at least in the way you must ponder each sentence. And the exercises are stimulating, in the sense of a cattle prod. I enjoy that sort of thing, in reasonable doses.
Since then I've stayed away from C++ unless it's externally imposed, and built things with C and Python. I like a language whose basic features can fit in my small brain, a language that gets out of the way.
The author is Peter Siebel, a fairly well-known lisp hacker and author of Practical Common Lisp. While he's not a C++ programmer (and doesn't claim to be), you can't say he's not a real hacker.
"I think I once managed to read all the way through Stroustrup’s The C++ Programming Language and have looked at at least parts of The Design and Evolution of C++. But I have never done any serious programming in it."
All I can say is, any programmer worth his mettle would make such a statement... Going through Stroustrups's book isn't possible if you're not interested in C++ programming (given that its not part of For Dummies series), IMHO. It is exactly like comparing it to a Novel. A programming guide is not about reading, its about learning.