This past year I started using GeoServer more than I did before. Actian is using it to demonstrate the capabilities of the Ingres 10S database sitting behind it. So I was glad to see that there was a new book out on the topic, by Stefano Iacovella and Brian Youngblood.
It was very readable and went faster than I thought it would (maybe it would have been longer if I didn’t skip a few exercises 😉 ). The book opens with the standard GIS Fundamentals but by the end of it you can be hacking XML and hitting the REST interface.
A few highlights to consider… Those who struggle with getting started with Tomcat on Linux will appreciate the chapter on installation. Likewise there is a chapter pointing out how to better secure everything before going into production.
The book is packed full of screenshots and graphics, making it very easy to follow along. The authors also did a great job making it readable and accessible. I would recommend it for anyone who is a first time GeoServer user. Check it out here.