Yes, yet another book on programming the Commodore 64. But, there is a difference, and a welcome one. The Sensible 64 concentrates on practical matters with just enough theory to make things comprehensible.

Also welcome is the omission of the introduction to Commodore Basic which most authors seem to regard as compulsory. There's no messing about here - by page 11 we're into user-defined characters.

Production of the book leaves a little to be desired; the cover is not the most attractive and the bluk of the text seems to be daisywheel output. But do not be put off by appearances. The number and quality of example programs (all straight printouts) put this title well ahead of most of the competition.

In keeping with its practical approach, most of the programs are presented as routines which can be incorporated into your own programs. Where speed is essential, the Basic listing is supplemented by a machine code version. Topics covered include high-resolution and sprite graphics, sound, and brief sections on disk drives and printers.

Peter Worlock