O'Reilly is typically able to put out a solid book on a given topic. Some of the smaller publishers (Manning, apress, et all) can knock out a great book too, but quality can vary dramatically. Packt is really hit or miss, it seems like they have a book on everything, but the editorial standard isn't as high so some books are harder to get through.
I've taken to buying more self-published books lately, as they're often getting more money to the authors pocket (way more), and I can often refer to the authors other work (blog, videos, trainings, etc.) to get an idea of what I'll be getting from the book.
I've taken to buying more self-published books lately, as they're often getting more money to the authors pocket (way more), and I can often refer to the authors other work (blog, videos, trainings, etc.) to get an idea of what I'll be getting from the book.