The books on the list are the ones I have read and would recommend to others. For some books, reviews from goodreads are included because I completely agree with them.
1. If you do not know C++, start with C++ Primer (5th edition)
From one goodreads review:
“A really good C++ book for beginners. I mean, it probably won't work as the very first book on programming, but if you have some programming background and just want to learn C++, this should work really well. The whole thing is structured very nicely, and in the rare case when you have some questions, they are typically answered on the next page.“
2. If you are familiar with C++ but want to refresh your knowledge, use A Tour of C++ written by Bjarne Stroustrup, the creator of C++.
From one goodreads review:
”Given that I've programmed in C++ before this book was perfect for me as a re-introduction.
It doesn't really explain things in depths, but it is rather just a very quick tour of the features. Perfect for someone who's an experienced programmer and has done some low level programming, but not very useful for beginners I'm afraid. Still I'd recommend reading this, if nothing it servers as a good motivational text to keep learning more.”