# What's the most useful book you've bought? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 20, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241 "2013-04-20T18:53:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/21 "2013-04-21T18:29:53Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The Boy Scout Handbook. There are tons of practical skills in there, many of which you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. This and Funk & White should be issued to every child entering primary school. ---
**Author:** ![plankter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ba0ec/32.png) [@plankter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plankter)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/22 "2013-04-21T18:40:42Z")
[How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive; A Manual of Step-By-Step Procedures for the Compleat Idiot](http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101/ref=dp_ob_title_bk) by John Muir. I bought this book before buying my Beetle, and it helped me overcome an ignorance of cars that bordered on technophobia. While I never progressed to the “I overhauled my engine by myself” level that other users achieved, I learned plenty that helped me, not just with the Bug but with every vehicle I’ve driven since. And it’s just plain fun to read! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/23 "2013-04-21T18:58:02Z")
_Pocket Ref_. Accept no substitutes. Also, _On Writing_. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/24 "2013-04-21T21:13:28Z")
[Programming Perl](http://www.amazon.com/Programming-Perl-Unmatched-processing-scripting/dp/0596004923/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366578657&sr=1-2&keywords=Perl) (the camel book.) Well laid out, has everything you need, and works at both the basic and advanced levels. Have it on my desk at work and it jogs my rapidly deteriorating memory. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/25 "2013-04-21T21:16:41Z")
[The Complete Joy of Homebrewing](http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Joy-Homebrewing-Third/dp/0060531053) by Charlie Papazian. THE bible of homebrewing. Read it cover-to-cover before I began brewing, and have used information in it every time I’ve made beer, wine, mead or cider. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/26 "2013-04-21T21:41:32Z")
I’ve put a few of these on my wish list. ---
**Author:** ![Slade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Slade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slade)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/27 "2013-04-21T21:47:42Z")
London A-Z. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/28 "2013-04-21T22:09:50Z")
_The Straight Dope_ 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/29 "2013-04-21T22:27:33Z")
_The Pathologic Basis of Disease_ by Robbins and Cotran. It helped me pass boards. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/30 "2013-04-22T14:30:07Z")
What, no mentions of “The Joy of Cooking?” It used to be standard issue when you left home. Mine: “Auto Repair for Dummies” which, iirc, was actually the first book in the series. I learned cars and bikes working on beaters as a kid, and this really filled in gaps in my knowledge. “Zen To Go” by Jon Winokur, interesting collection of quotes from pop culture figures and zen masters about it’s fundamental principles. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/31 "2013-04-22T14:41:43Z")
**In Search of Wonder** by Damon Knight. It taught me how to write better science fiction and showed me the pitfalls to avoid. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/32 "2013-04-22T14:49:38Z")
Geneen Roth’s Breaking Free from Emotional Eating. It taught me how to eat like a normal human being. What can possibly be more useful than that? ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/33 "2013-04-22T18:00:24Z")
Probably my rhyming dictionary. I’m an author and about half of what I sell is poetry for kids. I’d mention the title but I’ve misplaced it. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/34 "2013-04-22T18:07:21Z")
This [book](http://www.lowslowbbq.com/)made me the grill master I am today - [QUOTE=Low and Slow] Step away from the propane tank. Surrender all of your notions about barbecue. Forget everything you’ve ever learned about cooking with charcoal and fire. It is all wrong. Get it right with the “Five Easy Lessons” program. Includes over 130 recipes and step-by-step instructions for setting up and cooking low and slow on a Weber Smokey Mountain, an offset smoker or a kettle grill. [/QUOTE] Even if you consider yourself a grill master - the rub and marinade recipes contained within are worth its price. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/35 "2013-04-22T20:26:09Z")
[Final Cut: Dreams and Disaster in the Making of Heaven’s Gate](http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/07126627236) A stunning and cautionary tale. When one works in the film industry, one can come to the conclusion that ones shit does not stink. This includes crew. I read this every few years. Keeps a cameraman humble. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/36 "2013-04-22T20:28:20Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > [Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story](http://www.amazon.com/Total-Recall-Unbelievably-True-Story/dp/1451662432/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366511921&sr=1-1&keywords=total+recall+arnold+schwarzenegger) by Arnold Schwarzenegger. > > Seriously. > > For anyone willing to think about and take its lessons to heart, Arnold’s biography is probably the best self-help book and guide to living a full life that’s ever been written. > > I’m not kidding, it’s transformative. Shirely you can’t be serious. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/37 "2013-04-22T20:32:44Z")
[The Jazz Piano Book](http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Piano-Book-Mark-Levine/dp/0961470151) by Mark Levine. Changed my life as a jazz and creative musician. Took 4 years of classical theory and made it all fall into place as I worked through the book. And I’m a bassist, primarily, although I do play piano as well. But I think like a bassist. Nevertheless, best single book I’ve ever bought. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/38 "2013-04-22T21:59:13Z")
About 35 years ago, I bought [this](http://compare.ebay.com/like/290856768303?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar) because I was living on my own and about to buy my first house. Darn if it didn’t prove to be more than worth what it cost me! My house was old, heated with radiators fed by an oil-fired boiler. The first winter, the radiators on the second floor barely got warm, and the ones on the first floor weren’t a lot better. So I pulled out the book and learned that the weird key thing I’d found in the house was used to bleed air out of the radiators. I figured out where to turn the supply water on, and starting on the second floor, I went around with a pitcher and the key, listening to the air rush out of the radiators till a stream of water came forth. It took maybe a half an hour to bleed the entire system, and in no time at all, the whole house was toasty warm. I have no idea what it would have cost to have a repair guy deal with my no-heat situation, but I saved it because of my wonderful book!! 😃 It’s been handy since then, altho my husband is a much better resource now. ---
**Author:** ![Pops\_Negro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/779978/32.png) [@Pops\_Negro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pops_Negro)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/39 "2013-04-22T22:23:03Z")
Secondly, two books come to mind: _The Craft of Photography_ by David Vestal and _Possum Living_ by Dolly Freed. Vestal is a great source for a lifetime’s experience in analogue photography and Dolly was a wayward teen writing a kind-of underground guide to DIY off-the-grid living long before it was fashionable (she married and today she works in aerospace in Houston) or even profitable. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241/40 "2013-04-22T22:47:07Z")
Well, this probably won’t be very useful to many people here, but I refer to _[The Art of Electronics](http://www.amazon.com/Art-Electronics-Paul-Horowitz/dp/0521370957)_ more than any other book in my library. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-useful-book-youve-bought/656241.md?page=3)