This book covers many different martial arts, explaining a little about their history, etiquette, and progression structures. Fay Goodman is a recognised and respected martial artist, and she has enlisted many other top-rated artists to "sponsor" the chapters in this book. Covering the mainstream "pure" arts, ignoring mixed martial arts, but adding a nice chapter on Shinto Ryu, the book presents a basis for deciding which art you might like to follow.
However, and most shockingly, many different routines are described and photographed, with warnings about not making contact, etc - but nowhere in the book does it show you how to fall! One of the first lessons you will receive in any martial art is how to hit the floor safely, and this book encourages readers to try out arts such as judo and jujitsu with no explanation of how to breakfall. For that alone, this book should be left alone as an instruction manual!
Other than that, this book has some of the clearest pictures, most easy to follow diagrams, and plainest text I have come across in some time. Such a shame that the safety aspect has been ignored!