LPI Linux Certification in a Nutshell; A Desktop Quick Reference, 2nd Edition

There's so many authors to this book I couldn't fit into the title line, so I'll write the author's names here: Steven Pritchard, Bruno Gomes Pessanha, Nicolai Langfeldt, James Stanger & Jeff Dean all worked together to create this 917 page book. It's not to be taken lightly in any sense of the word, but is it good? Read on.

The Linux Professional Institute are considered by many to be the de facto standard of Linux Certification, and it's not known for being easy. [t:LPI] certifications have managed to maintain a high standard throughout the world by not lowering standards, by maintaining vendor neutrality (not done by a particular software vendor), and by solid examinations. Therefore, the study materials have to keep pace - which is a tough thing for any group of writers to do in the shifting landscape of Linux and certifications.

Within this book's covers, preparation for General Linux Exam 101, 102, 201 and 202 are covered in a linear fashion - in a fashion which is broken up to prepare one for the Linux Professional institute's 4 General Linux examinations.

This book took a long time to read - it was not hard to read, but the sheer volume of it makes it a daunting task. As a LPI proctor, I can't say that these will guarantee that the reader will be able to pass the examinations - what I can say is that this book is certainly a step toward taking the examinations with confidence. As a general outline, it covers more ground than any other Linux book I have read.

To write all the things that this book covers would be to rewrite the book. As a review, this would be silly and would not tell you much about the book. This is a serious book for serious readers, and people interested in their future within the Information Technology marketplace.

At roughly 250 pages per General Linux Examination, the book becomes much less daunting. And then further broken into the relevant subsections for the respective curriculum, it's even less daunting. Think of this book as an investment in your Linux knowledgew which you may test yourself with the practice examinations.

After all, books under pillows are only good for lumpy pillows. If you stick this book under your pillow, you're guaranteed a very lumpy pillow. If you use it, you'll learn a lot about Linux - and be as prepared as you can before taking the LPI examinations. Studying not included. :-)

If you're serious about taking the LPI certifications - LPI Linux Certification in a Nutshell (2nd Edition) is a book I recommend. This book, even with this short of a review (but a long read!) gets a KnowProSE.com 9 out of 10.

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