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**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [January 14, 2003, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-book-on-html/148415 "2003-01-14T00:51:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1
**Author:**  [@Blunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blunt)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-book-on-html/148415/1 "2003-01-14T00:51:28Z")
The title says it all: I’m looking for recommendations of good books on HTML to help me make a fairly basic website.
I have a pretty general knowledge of HTML already, so I’m not starting from scratch if that means anything.
I’m basically looking for a book that I can use as a reference when I mess around on a website I’m playing with and learn by trial and error more or less.
I talked a little bit about the site I’m planning on making in this [thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=155391)
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**Author:**  [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-book-on-html/148415/2 "2003-01-14T01:05:24Z")
I used _Sams Teach Yourself HTML_. I bought it back in '99, and there are newer editions. I found it very good.
There’s a [website](http://www.24hourhtmlcafe.com/) too.
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**Author:**  [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-book-on-html/148415/3 "2003-01-14T02:07:18Z")
If all you want is a reference text, you could use the following.
[Netscape HTML Reference](http://developer.netscape.com/docs/manuals/htmlguid/contents.htm)
> [@](#):
>
> This book lists all the HTML tags and attributes supported in Netscape Navigator 4.0 and earlier. This book was posted on 11/19/97. This tag reference replaces the previous HTML Reference Guide.
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**Author:**  [@skaterboarder87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaterboarder87)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-book-on-html/148415/4 "2003-01-14T06:26:56Z")
Check out HTML Goodies…awesome book!
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**Author:**  [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-book-on-html/148415/5 "2003-01-14T07:08:39Z")
I suggest you keep as a reference the definitive word on HTML:
[HTML 4.01](http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/) [XHTML 1.0](http://www.w3.org/TR/html/)
I learned from the first link, but if you’re not a technical person, I don’t suggest it; just consult these documents when you want the last word.
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**Author:**  [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-book-on-html/148415/6 "2003-01-14T09:14:04Z")
Second vote for _Sams_. I was already pretty good with HTML when I read it, and I really appreciated the author’s use of forward-looking information (e.g. XHTML tags).
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**Author:**  [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-book-on-html/148415/7 "2003-01-14T10:47:25Z")
Either O’Reilly’s or Ian Graham’s. Both are very good reference books.
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**Author:**  [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-book-on-html/148415/8 "2003-01-14T19:03:48Z")
Elizabeth Castro, HTML for the World Wide Web.
Part of the Visual Quickstart series.
Best book ever written on the subject, by a truly superb writer. She could make fog on soot seem clear as daylight.