I just got delivery of my book today (Vol.2 Spring & Summer)! Such a big book- about the size of an encyclopedia.
I love this book- I wish there was an emoticon doing cartwheels!!
I like how the charts are broken up into what you can see visually in the sky and then another chart for the finder scope. Love how at the beginning of each constellation it gives a listing of interesting objects/stars/binocular targets, and lots of sketches of what to expect to see out of the fov of an eyepiece. And really really like how it doesn't waste half of the book explaining about planets, moons, eyepieces, yadda yadda yadda. Just get's straight to the point of observing. Also like the listing of what the object looks through different size scopes, though it gets rubbed in to ones face a bit when you read down to what he says about looking through a 16" on M104 for instance, quote "magnificent!" blah blah (all the details we 10"-ers miss out on and get teased with.
And it's actually good when he says "faint" in scopes of 14" or 16" I know not to bother trying to pick it up in my 10". It certainly gives me great guidance to what's do-able for the equipment I have.
It is a pretty intensive book and will be a good companion to my other observing books, which each in their own way provide me with different assistance.
For example:
(Hartungs for a quick go to reference and to get his report)
"The Messier Objects" by Stephen James O'Meara. This book teaches me how to observe, he really makes me think and to look harder. Very easy to comprehend.
"Stars and Planets" by Ian Ridpath & Wil Tirion. My absolute right hand at the scope, could never be without it. Easy glance of map on one page, and on the other page a listing of all the objects/spectral types of stars/astrophysics (how distant object is, magnitude etc). If I find something I don't know what it is- this book will quickly tell me. Shiny pages (which handles dampness outside well) and small enough to handle on my lap at the scope.