The big question here is, How can a book get so good? It requires something on the scale of the grand alignment of the planets. Haynes and Crumpler have without a doubt mastered Photoshop. They have spent years honing their teaching skills. They are both excellent writers. They have the rare discipline to go the extra step when assembling information. This is the fifth edition of their book, and it is obvious that they listen to their readers. If you thumb through the book, you will be amazed at how densely packed every page is (I've seldom seen such narrow margins). This is not clutter. Each page stands as a miracle of organization. The text and diagrams complement each other to near perfection. This is the book that should come with Photoshop. Adobe should toss their embarrassingly deficient user manual and pack this tome in each box.