If you are at all involved with the use of UML in your programming or analysis activities, you'll most likely be interested in seeing the UML Bible by Tom Pender (Wiley). Like all 'Bible' titles from Wiley, this book covers a wide range of topics that should give you most any answer you need to find.

The chapter breakout is in seven parts:
Part 1 - An Introduction to UML - What Is UML?; UML Architecture; UML Diagrams and Extension Mechanisms; Object-Oriented Concepts
Part 2 - Modeling Object Structure - Capturing Rules about Objects in a Class Diagram; How to Capture Rules about Object Relationships; Testing With Objects
Part 3 - Modeling Object Interactions - Modeling Interactions in UML 1.4; Modeling Interactions in UML 2.0; Modeling an Object's Lifecycle in UML 1.4; Modeling an Object's Lifecycle in UML 2.0
Part 4 - Modeling Object Behavior - Modeling the Use of a System with the Use Case Diagram; Modeling Behavior Using an Activity Diagram
Part 5 - Modeling the Application Architecture - Using Packages; Modeling Software Using the Component Diagram; Using Deployment Diagrams in UML 1.4; Using Deployment Diagrams in UML 2.0
Part 6 - Bringing Rigor to the Model - Applying Constraints to the UML Diagrams; Action Semantics
Part 7 - Automating the UML Modeling Process - Using a Modeling Tool; Customizing UML Using Profiles; XML Metadata Interchange
Appendices - UML 1.4 Notation Guide; UML 2.0 Notation Guide; Standard Elements; Glossary; Index

Now, I'm not a UML expert by any stretch of the imagination. But based on what I have read and studied to date, this book covers everything. Taking the Use Case chapter as an example, I can see that there is an abundance of technical detail and diagramming to explain the topic completely. Couple this chapter with the notation guide in the back, and you have a reference guide that is hard to beat. At the time this book was written, UML 2.0 wasn't yet released. But the author takes the specs that should be part of the final release and explains how those features are different than UML 1.4. As a result, you shouldn't outgrow this book anytime soon.

The only quibble I have with the book is the audience that the author says he is targeting. Readers new to object-oriented analysis are expected to be able to get an in-depth understanding of UML and be able to become a productive member of a team by reading this book. In my opinion, that may be a bit of a reach. If I had no UML experience, I'd find this book very daunting in both the size and complexity of the material. My recommendation would be to find an entry level UML book, and work through it before tackling this book. With the UML fundamentals fresh in your mind, you'll be able to come at this book from a much better position and benefit much more quickly.

Overall, a good book to have around...

Most accurate and complete book on UML 2

Rating: 5/5

This book is the clearest, most accurate, and complete book on
UML 2 that I'm aware of. Pender obviously read the
specifications carefully and took the time to explain them. It
provides many examples, and metamodels for tool developers. It
shows the differences between UML 1.x and UML 2, facilitating the
transition for existing users. It also has insights into issues
such as the relation between state machines and interactions, and
the role of activities in object-orientation. The advanced
reader can also find information about OCL, XMI, MDA, and UML
profiles defined by OMG. Colleagues have thanked me for
recommending it, one saying "that book is saving my %^&*$".
Congratulations to the author on very fine work.

Conrad Bock
Workgroup Lead for UML 2 Activities and Actions
U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology
"The opinions expressed above do not reflect consensus of NIST,
and have not been reviewed by any Government authority."
Search on "JOT UML 2" for more information.

Great book for getting up to speed on UML 2.0

Rating: 5/5

....there is a substantial difference between UML 1.4 and UML 2.0 and the UML Bible is an excellent book to help software modelers discover what's new and different in the revised standard. I especially like the way Pender uses gray shading in the diagrams to help you quickly identify differences between the two versions of UML. This thoroughness is carried over into the listings in the Glossary, Index and Appendices, which feature separate UML 1.4 and UML 2.0 Notation Guides to help users understand unique aspects of both notations.

The section on bringing rigor to the modeling process with object constraint language (OCL) and Action Semantics is handled equally well, with a convincing explanation of the role of action semantics in providing a standard for the exchange of action specifications between UML tools, as well as future "executable UML" applications.

Whether you use the UML for informal 'sketching' of software ideas or a more exhaustive 'blueprint' approach to code, Pender's clear and accessible 940-page book provides a comprehensive and cost-effective way to get up to speed on all aspects of UML 2.0.