TITLE: Reference request: introduction to commutative algebra
QUESTION [74 upvotes]: My goal is to pick up some commutative algebra, ultimately in order to be able to understand algebraic geometry texts like Hartshorne's. Three popular texts are Atiyah-Macdonald, Matsumura (Commutative Ring Theory), and Eisenbud. There are also other books by Reid, Kemper, Sharp, etc. Can someone outline the differences between these texts, their relative strengths, and their intended audiences? 
I am not listing my own background and strengths, on purpose, (a) so that the answers may be helpful to others, and (b) I might be wrong about myself, and I want to hear more general opinions than what might suite my narrow profile (e.g. If I said "I only like short books", then I might preclude useful answers about Eisenbud, etc.).

REPLY [5 votes]: It's a bit late. But since no one has mentioned it, I would mention Gathmann's lecture notes on Commutative Algebra (https://www.mathematik.uni-kl.de/~gathmann/class/commalg-2013/commalg-2013.pdf).
The exposition is excellent. The content is comparable to Atiyah-McDonald, but contains much more explanation. It emphasizes the geometric intuitions throughout the lectures. For example, the chapters on integral ring extension and Noetherian normalization have one of the best expositions of the geometric pictures behind these important algebraic concepts that I have read among several introductory books on commutative algebra. Chapters usually begin with a very good motivation and give many examples.