This is a practical book. It won't waste your time. Here are three reasons why:
1. The С programming language. С has a long history and is the defacto high-level language in the embedded systems world. It is also used widely for operating system and application development for all important platforms like Windows, UNIX, Macintosh and Linux. Learning С is definitely not a waste of time - it's used everywhere.
This book assumes that you have a basic knowledge of C, but not much more than that. If you need a quick review, check out Appendix A and B.
2. The 8051 microcontroller. Like C, the 8051 microcontroller (originally developed by Intel) has a long history and remains a popular and relevant platform for designing embedded systems.
3. Bundled hardware and software. Learn best by doing! This book has complete, self-contained labs. The book can be bundled with the Silicon Labs 8051 development kit (C8051F005DK), all lab materials (e.g. breadboard, LEDs, resistors, etc) and the Keil С software. This optional bundling is convenient for both the university and the individual.