recommended javascript books/tutorials/howtos?

The javascript language itself (plus browser javascript
interface -
this is rather messy IMHO):

http://wp.netscape.com/eng/mozilla/3.0/handbook/javas
cript/

I have found the following reference very valuable. It
describes the
MSIE web browser javascript interface. Surprisingly, it is
from
Microsoft (surprisingly, the documentation is useful). Of
course, skip
the non-W3C parts (they are well marked in the
documentation).

http://msdn.microsoft.com/wor
kshop/author/dhtml/reference/dhtml_reference_entry.asp

HTH,
jbar