Delphi Programming for Dummies is excellent. The book is structured very clearly. The reader is introduced to Delphi very carefully and smoothly. When no technical words are necessary, none are used. The language used is very natural and sometimes even funny. This makes this book actually pleasant to read. The great thing is that this book (as promised by the title) does explain a lot about the programming part of Delphi, and not just about the components (which are also described). A great way to start working with Delphi.