Java Pitfalls points out a lot of common mistakes made in Java development as well as providing optimization and means of producing much cleaner code that runs faster and uses less memory. This book provides vital information for J2EE Architects and JDK1.4 specifications and lead Developers by showing how to avoid making mistakes that have critical impact on design and implementation of enterprise Java software.
The book covers Java NIO, which is a pretty formidable subject. The author does a decent job with this material. With JAXP, JAXR and JAXP, he provides you with instant access to critical, drill-down information on APIs and the foundation for you to proceed into any region of APIs usage and technology and have secure knowledge of the basics.
Besides being well written, the book is fun. I found myself trying to figure out along with the author how to improve the performance of the various examples demonstrated in the book. In addition to containing excellent advice; it's the most up to date publication dealing specifically with performance of Java applications.