Master Visually Photoshop 6 [With CDROM]

I have purchased several 'Master Visually' books. They are the best at guiding you through complicated material.

This is a great book whether you're a beginning user or you've been around the block a few times with the program. It is very clearly organized around the various program functions which, makes it great for reading straight through or picking out the functions as you need them. I borrowed the book for options on cropping and removing backgrounds and wound-up purchasing my own copy for its versatility and ease of use. It comes with an accompanying CD that has demo versions of some useful programs, as well as sample artwork and a full copy of the book you can search through on your computer. This book is superior to the "Teach Yourself Visually" series also from Maran, which tends to really hold your hand through the most basic functions. It is also much clearer than the text-oriented books which have more words than examples. A nice balance overall that all but the most advanced users will appreciate.