Inside COM - Microsoft's Component Object Model
by Dale Rogerson
ISBN 1-57231-349-8

A wonderfully easy introduction to COM. From why components are a good idea, through putting a component into a DLL, to in-process COM servers. Then, once you have the basics under your belt, on to IDL, local servers, DCOM, dispatch interfaces and a "real world" example. On the way components are built from the ground up, no macros, no templates. All the code you need is presented along with why you need it and how you could do it differently using MFC or ATL. Even if you never intend to write a COM object from scratch, the understanding that the book gives you is priceless. Once you've read this all of the MSDN examples will make sense... I wish I could have read this book at the beginning of my work with COM.
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Essential COM
by Don Box
ISBN 0-201-63446-5

All books on COM, no matter how advanced, spend a few chapters going over the basics. This book is no different in that respect, what is different is how the subject is approached. After the initial COM as a better C++ bit we're thrown straight into IDL to define interfaces. Then the standard IUnknown stuff is covered and just when you expect to move on to IClassFactory you're told about Class Objects (of which an object implementing IClassFactory is only one example), Monikers and other object lifetime issues. Then we change up a gear and move into the realms that most books on COM ignore; apartments, marshaling and COM security. This book is more challenging that many other books on COM, but it covers a lot more material. Required reading...
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