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cj
I know it is late, but I would throw another one into the mix. Last year I brought the Collins Atlas of the Night Sky (by Storm Dunlop, Wil Tirion & Antonin Rukl) I picked this up in a Brisbane Dymocks bookshop for around $50, but I am sure it is available in other places.
Why this book? Well it contains the exact same maps as in the Cambridge Star Atlas in the front with the facing page listing the mapped DSO's grouped into types (GC, GX, DB, etc) and stars down to about 6.5. Then it goes alphabetically through each constellation with a more detailed map and some short descriptions about the highlights in each constellation - what to expect at the eyepiece. Next it has the planet postions mapped out for the next few years (going by memory) and then finishes off with some Rukl moon maps including mirror image maps. Overall a very comprehesive atlas for a beginner to have
Overall this is a great starter book, and although I have probably surpased starter status, i still get a lot out of it. The cover is shown below:
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