I am a book junkie and not afraid to admit it. I must have literally hundreds of books on hardware, software and computer techniques. Although they are not all required for any of my college courses, I highly recommend you buy (and thoroughly read) as many books as you can afford on topics that interest you - especially on your favorite software!

Nothing takes the place of a well-written how-to book, and many of these listed below are simply splendid. They're not just encyclopedia-style reference books, but often are interesting and entertaining in style, with tons of little-known tips and tricks that you could only get from someone "in the know."

Knowledge is power - invest in your future! A well-stocked computer art library can often make the difference in helping you add just the right effect to a project, and the extra money you could make getting more clients can often offset the cost of the books.

These are among my favorite books and all are highly recommended for use in my college computer graphics classes. This is by no means a complete list of books I'd recommend, but it is a good start. There are more books listed for the Introduction class than any other because I think beginners need to build up a broad base of knowledge before moving on to advanced topics. Some very special multi-purpose books may be listed under more than one course category. These might be the books you would want to start off with.

I tried to be as balanced between Mac and PC books as I could, and wherever possible I have included and clearly labeled the different versions of same book. Occasionally, there is a Mac-only book, but PC users will benefit from those as well. I find that authors who write Mac books are more artistic and design-oriented, and that is good for everyone using any platform.

Simply click on a title and you will go to a description of that book on the Amazon.com Web site. There, you will see not only professional reviews, but reader reviews too - a feature I find essential for really knowing which book is user-friendly and intellectually accessible. Also, you will see a list of related books that may also spark your interest.

If you want the book, you can buy it right then and there (via secure encryption) and have it shipped, usually within 24 hours - essential for that "I-gotta-have-it-now" personality (WE know who we are! ;) I personally find that Amazon's prices are usually the best you will get anywhere, even considering the shipping costs.

So without further ado here is ProfSaint's Recommended Reading List. The books marked with an asterisk (*) are among my very favorites.