<?php
$json = '[' . '{
        "title": "Professional JavaScript",
        "author": "Nicholas C. Zakas"
    },
    {
        "title": "JavaScript: The Definitive Guide",
        "author": "David Flanagan"
    },
    {
        "title": "High Performance JavaScript",
        "author": "Nicholas C. Zakas"
    }' . ']';

$books = json_decode($json);
// access property of object in array
echo $books[1]->title; // JavaScript: The Definitive Guide

$books = json_decode($json, true);
// numeric/associative array access
echo $books[1]['title']; // JavaScript: The Definitive Guide
?>