Hello Mark,
I understand your frustration in finding the right resources to learn Windows app development. There are many technologies and frameworks available, so it's essential to find the right starting point for your needs.
C++ with Win32 API:
If you prefer working with C++ and want to learn Windows app development using the native Win32 API, I recommend "Programming Windows, 6th Edition" by Charles Petzold. This book focuses on the essentials of programming for the Windows operating system using the C++ language and the native Win32 API.
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Programming-Windows-Writing-Developer-Reference/dp/0735663777
C++ with Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC):
If you want to develop Windows applications using C++ and Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC), consider "Programming Windows with MFC" by Jeff Prosise. This book covers MFC in detail, which is a C++ library for creating desktop applications for Windows.
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Programming-Windows-MFC-Jeff-Prosise/dp/1572316950
C# with Windows Forms or WPF:
If you're open to learning C# for Windows app development, you can look into Windows Forms or Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) for building GUI-based applications. For this, I recommend "C# 9.0 and .NET 5 – Modern Cross-Platform Development" by Mark J. Price. This book covers various topics, including building Windows Forms and WPF applications using C#.
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/NET-5-0-Cross-Platform-Development-high-performance/dp/180056810X
WinUI 3:
WinUI 3 is the latest native user interface technology for Windows 10 apps. As it's a relatively new technology, there might not be many books available. However, Microsoft has an extensive set of documentation and tutorials to help you get started with WinUI 3.
Link:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/winui/winui3/
Xamarin.Forms and .NET MAUI:
If you're interested in cross-platform app development targeting Windows, iOS, and Android, you can learn Xamarin.Forms and the upcoming .NET MAUI. For Xamarin.Forms, you can check out "Mastering Xamarin.Forms" by Ed Snider.
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Xamarin-Forms-Ed-Snider/dp/1788995510
For .NET MAUI, as it's still in development, books may not be readily available. However, you can follow the official Microsoft documentation as it evolves.
Link:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/maui/what-is-maui
Remember that online tutorials, blogs, and developer community forums like Stack Overflow can also be valuable resources when learning Windows app development.
I hope this helps you find the right resources for your Windows app development journey. Good luck!
Best regards