Very nice. Spolsky’s introductions were typically Spolskyesque, and I really enjoyed almost every article. The individual authors are gifted writers, and the subject matter was interesting throughout (to me – I’m a software developer, but there were more articles than I expected that would mean something to the non-developer, and even to someone totally unconnected to the production of software).

Well, I thought it was worth it. I know that all (or almost all anyhow) of the essays are available online for free, but I find it so much incredibly easier to read things when they’re in a book for some reason.

Plus, now I can loan it out to friends.

So far it’s worth it just because I now have a physical copy of whytheluckystiff’s foxes screaming about Chunky Bacon.

Joel didn’t really write this book, but it still has his style all over it. At least to me. I’m a few chapters in and like it so far.

Go read on the links from http://brevity.org/misc/bestswi.html.
That is what I did. Of course by doing so, you miss some of Joel’s comments and edits. Joel is an above-average writer so the $17 might be a decent amount to spend.