i dont know how old this book is, i got it off a book site (not amazon) i think the author is gerry watson (its out in the car). Well the book has some anectdotal stuff and player profiles, then 101 shots the author says everybody needs in their bag of tricks if youre gonna play top notch pool. I actually got a chance to get on a table tonight with the book in hand and work thru some shots and i have to say i like this book. It kind of opened my eyes to possibilities and new ways of gettin shapes. He sets up shots, shows the path of the balls and where you are trying to get to, and the english to use with stroke speed. This is a killer 9ball book because sometimes you have to do some crazy stuff to get on the next ball if you arent going safe, and with these shots in your head you can get there pretty easy. Definitely worth the 7 or 8 bucks this book cost me.