For beginners it is all about giving useful information while keeping the person's interest in poker high, so or that reason I usually steer people to Phil Gordon's Little Green Book for the poker side of learning to play, and since we are in the middle of WSOP season, I recommend The Real Deal also by Phil Gordon, filled with very readable annecdotes including the last chapter where you are in the Main Event of the WSOP and there are problems posed as you make the final table. A lot of fun.

There is no 'perfect' set of books out there for a learning poker player, because everyone has a unique set of playing problems linked to their personality to first recognize and then overcome, so I really suggest that an interested player build up a small library of books that appeal to you and to actually read the books ... at least once! Better poker play seems to come to those players that stock their poker toolboxes with a lot of specific skills picked up over time.

My favourite poker book? Hard to say really but so far Harrington's books blow the rest out of the water, but be warned: these books are for intermediate players at the very least, since the concepts require a fair amount of poker knowledge. The three volume set is one that I am pretty sure you have to plan to read through a number of times ... it is that dense with poker information.

Happy reading but keep in mind that reading a good poker book will NOT improve your play ... using the information you read actively into your game is necessary!