I was recently sent a copy of Murach's Java Programming, 4th edition. I've spent some time with it, and I have to say, it's a very well-written book. I'm reviewing it from the perspective of a professional developer, experienced in languages that aren't Java.

The examples are well written and easy to follow, and usually very clear. I do like the "left page is writing, right page is code" layout. It's different than books with inline examples, and it seems to work quite well.

The book is longer than I expected; it covers Java and NetBeans development fairly deeply. I'd suggest that if you are a semi-experienced developer looking to switch to Java, you should probably skim the first few chapters without reading them too deeply. If you're already somewhat versed in Java, you can skip them entirely, since they cover the basic introductory topics like declaring variables and using operators. For a beginner, this is absolutely required reading.

Overall, I'd say this book is a very good resource for both new developers, and experienced ones switching to Java. I'd use it if I were changing careers.