When your professor comes over the first day of class and leafs through your brand new book and says, "Where did you get this...it's a great introduction to this class!" then proceeds to tell you he knows some of the potters and works pictured...you know it's a GREAT book. From learning where clay comes from and the techniques from pinching and coiling to the wheel and sculpture, I found great tips and photos to help me along and inspire my "creations." Then came texturing, coloring and glazing and firing techniques. I've actually bought the book as a gift for Mr. Pace (from amazon.com, naturally) and his future students because I found it SO helpful.