TC++PL is written to be read cover to cover, with the exception of Part III (The Standard Library,) and even in that part, each chapter is written to be read be

TC++PL is written to be read cover to cover, with the exception of Part III (The Standard Library,) and even in that part, each chapter is written to be read beginning to end. C++ is a complicated and dangerous language. The complexity and length of TC++PL is dictated by the complexity of understanding required to be a decent C++ programmer. Avoiding C++ entirely is a great idea if you can manage it, but programming in C++ without investing the time to read TC++PL (or another similarly detailed book) is a really bad idea.