[rescue] off topic book recommendations

[Curtis H. Wilbar Jr.]

This is off topic with computer rescue... but the greater wisdom in
this group has proved so valuable, please bear with the off topic
inquiry please.  Given the off topicness, might be best to reply
privately, and if enough people have interest, I'd be glad to summarize
pros/cons/comments/etc.

I'm looking for recommendations on good books for ruby on rails
(and ruby programming language books too).

Currently on the list off possibles are:

Professional Ruby on Rails by Noel Rappin
The Rails Way by Obie Fernandez
Advanced Rails (Illustrated) by Brad Ediger
Simply Rails 2 by Patrick Lenz
The Ruby Programming Language by Flanagan & Matsumoto
Ruby on Rails by David Black

So, looking for thumbs up/down, praise, or criticism of the
above titles, as well as any recommendations (pro or con)
for titles not listed.

As I'll be using RAILS 2.X (2.2.2 specifically), I'd like to avoid
RAILS 1.X books.  Ruby version in use is 1.8.5.

Thanks, and I return you to you regularly scheduled (on topic)
posts :-)

-- Curt