Has anyone used OReilly's Java Examples in a Nutshell? I've been exposed to the basics on much of the java language (up to I/O, exceptions, etc.), and I think I need direct interaction with the language to really start enhancing my understanding of it. Ideally I would love to find something that had a design component to it and that also pushed the reader to think about how they would create their own solutions to certain problems.
Is there a book anyone can recommend over this one?