Allen Holub is a long time expert on Design and Design Patterns Even if you know your design patterns well,? I'll bet Holub still have a trick or two to impress you with. Holub explains programming with object-oriented way, and how to use a design pattern to solve common problems in object-oriented system. ... Highly detailed with examples and extended explanations of proper object-oriented methodology, (a) bonus points with my score. John Flinchbaugh's Weblog The books on design patterns take a "catalog" approach, where they show the individual design patterns in isolation. Holub on Patterns: Learning Design Patterns by Looking at Code teaches you design patterns in exactly this way: by looking at computer programs and analyzing them in terms of patterns they use. As a result, you learn how the patterns actually occur in the real world and how to apply patterns to solve real problems. The book also looks at the broader context of object-oriented design (OO) and how patterns solve common OO design problems.