To me there are 2 essential publications when it comes to JavaScript. 1) JavaScript: The Definitive Guide by David Flanagan - which I like to use for looking up facts and wanting the correct definition of something. 2) You Don't Know JS by Kyle Simpson - for making yourself familiar with JS or a certain feature of the language. It's beautifully written, easy to follow and makes learning JS a pleasurable adventure. The fact that it's available for free is just absurd to me. Props to Kyle.