Proving once and for all that standards-compliant design does not equal dull design, this inspiring tome uses examples from the landmark CSS Zen Garden site as the foundation for discussions on how to create beautiful, progressive CSS-based Web sites. By using the Zen Garden sites as examples of how CSS design techniques and approaches can be applied to specific Web challenges, authors Dave Shea and Molly Holzschlag provide an eye-opening look at the range of design methods made possible by CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). By the time you've finished perusing the volume, you'll have a new understanding of the graphically rich, fully accessible sites that CSS design facilitates. In sections on design, layout, imagery, typography, effects, and themes, Dave and Molly take you through every phase of the design process--from striking a sensible balance between text and graphics to creating eye-popping special effects (no scripting required).

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 93 Ratings

Zen of CSS desdign - 2009-11-18
Reviewer Rating:
Well written and illustrated concepts and ideas for using CSS in a 'clean' coding environment. Loaded with ways to avoid overly cumbersome and ineffective coding.

The same information is available on the web - 2009-11-01
Reviewer Rating:
The basis behind this book is excellent. It takes CSS to another level.

However, you can find all of the information that is here in print on the Internet or specifically on the Zen Garden website itself.

Nothing new here.

Outstanding Book! - 2009-09-19
Reviewer Rating:
As a dabbler in HTML for the last ten years, I have heard about CSS and it's many benefits, but had no hands-on experience with it. When I discovered the Zen of CSS site, I knew I had to get the book. It is a beautiful book, both physically and content-wise. There is a lot of effort put into this book and it shows. It melds the technical with the artistic in simple prose. I have learned much already, and would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to ride the wave of CSS in this exciting time of web design! Two thumbs up! - Mark Howell, Round Rock, Texas.

great book - 2009-08-28
Reviewer Rating:
Excellent assortment of examples on just how CSS can manipulate HTML. Not only does it teach Css basics and advanced markup, it explores just how versatile CSS really is. A good book for the elements of web design as well as how to.

What Every Designer Should Own - 2009-06-11
Reviewer Rating:
Truly one of the most amazing books I've read when it comes to web design. The Zen of CSS Design is a great book for all levels of knowledge for ideas, but it is recommended you know basic CSS if you want to understand the examples of designs; this book will not teach you css.

Each page in the book is almost like a webpage explaining design. The book has several chapters; some include: Design, Layout and Imagery. There are some more chapters which will give you a handle on Special Effects and Typography. All together there are 7 chapters, each color coded with tips and examples of design and programming/code.

Looking for something specific in the book? Go ahead and flip to the index because this book is equipt with a fourteen page index. The book doesn't have a glossary, but most of the terms they will be using throughout the reading is in the first chapter -- Source.

There are not many weak points in this book. The only thing I'm disappointed about in the book is that the authors took the first chapter and created it into a whole biography of CSSZenGarden.com's website. Other than that I'm pleased with it. If I were to recommend a book that gave good examples of efficient and eye catching designs along with great code examples I would direct you to this book.

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