Bill:

Specifically, 'Java How to Program' from Dietel &
Dietel is a really good book.  

Each chapter shows the programmer development
techniques using the most commonly used algorithms
(sorting, searching, recursion and some data
structures
like stacks and queues).

The examples are very good, and the code explanation
is very concise.  I have a lot of 'useless'
programming
books - but this one is the best I've seen in a long 
time.  Be prepared to shell out around $70 bucks for
it
though....But if you look around ...you will not find
any book that matches it's subject matter.

I Think they do a good job in explaining the
in-and-outs of the specific programming language (in
this case Java), and how to apply the common
algorithms
to the specific language.

They have a series on 
Java
Visual Basic (if anyone is interested)
C
C++
Python

This list may be incomplete...But it's worth checking out....

=====
Thanks,
Alpha Zenon Sanchez

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup
http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com