Simply put, this is a great book that will aid any fly- tyer, from a beginner who can barely stick a hook in a vise to the expert tying for a living!
As most fly tyers who are looking to purchase books on the subject know, most (if not all) tying- related books begin with a background on the tools of the trade and how to use them. Well, AK Best takes this and runs with it - in a VERY productive way! Sticking a needle into a cork to work with palm-held embroidery snips like a 3rd hand, etc... I could write a book just about this book! This book is not one of specific patterns, but rather one of techniques to be applied for multiple patterns.
Yes, the 'Flytyer's Benchside Reference' (ISBN 1571881263) is great for techniques, don't get me wrong! I don't care for that book's price, either, but it is a great book. Best's book, however, delves into more of the holistic view than the Benchside Reference. That is to say, Best looks at things in an efficiency-of-tying AND functionality-of-catching-fish perspective, where the Benchside Reference seems to simply list EVERY possible way of doing the task required without care for the time or energy used to tie. They both have their respective benefits: If you are looking for multiple ways of doing something, the Benchside Reference is the way to go; if looking for a very efficient way, then I find AK Best's book to be far superior.
For the crux of this book: graphics are large enough and numerous enough to fully see what is going on; language is narrative and brief, not using circumlocution to attempt a persona of godliness; the price is high for a book (in my opinion, as a cheap-skate), but worth it in the savings on materials alone. Again, this is a wonderful book for all tyers, regardless of experience.
