If you’re searching for a first-class computer guide for beginners, the following book fits the bill perfectly.

Although I’ve written on this subject before in a related article "Computer Books for Beginners", I decided to single out this particular title because of its exceptional quality. At any rate, here’s my review of the best computer book for beginners ever (you may have already gotten a clue due to the large protruding image to the right).

What immediately stands out about "Just the Computer Essentials" by James White is that the author definitely understands the needs of his target audience. Mr. White provides computer beginners with practical tips that are easy to understand and apply; no fluff, just straight-to-the-point useful information.

The author has years of experience as a technology specialist and holds about a bazillion professional certifications (I’m forever humbled). It’s generally hard for techies to communicate with non-techies or newbie’s, but Mr. White is an obvious exception.

Chapter one serves as the perfect reference for consumers who are interested in buying a new computer. The author effortlessly explains the difference between storing information on a computer hard drive and utilizing RAM (Random Access Memory). He also does an excellent job of concisely reviewing the CPU (Central Processing Unit) in layman terms.

Mr. White goes on to briefly expound on laptops, wireless technology, operating systems, software, peripherals and warranties. He ends the chapter by including a table chart that's designed to help consumers shop for a  new computer (wow! all of this in the first chapter alone).

Side Note: The author effectively utilizes table charts and screenshots throughout the entire book.

When I used to provide in-house computer support for customers, most of my service calls consisted of one or more of the following:

• Removing Computer Viruses, Spyware, Adware, etc.
• Backing-up or Restoring Data
• Providing General System Upgrades
• Helping Customers Setup a New Computer System

By applying the information that’s provided in this guide, not only will you avoid a considerable amount of aggravation by learning how to resolve these issues yourself; you’ll also save money on repairs and upgrades.

Section VII “The Basics of Protecting Your Computer” includes six brief chapters that will teach you more than enough about guarding your system against invasions. While it’s debatable, it’s been my experience that computer viruses and downloading activities are generally directly related to many of the most common computer problems. The combined chapters are comprised of approximately 26 pages that cover the following:

• Viruses, Spyware, etc.
• Spam and Phishing
• Firewalls
• Security Management (covers all-in-one products and automatic updates for anti-virus programs, etc.)
• Passwords

Although I’ve been working with computer for many years, I must admit that I actually learned a few things as a result of reading section seven (and other sections as well).

As I indirectly declared in the beginning of this article, I’ve recommend a number of great newbie computer books in the past, but this one is unique. This guide manages to be thorough while presenting only the absolute essentials. In essence, “Just the Computer Essentials” is accurate, complete, and yet concise. The explanations are simply enough to understand, but not dumbed-down or condescending. Believe it or not, this tutorial actually makes Windows Vista more appealing (and that not easy to do). It’s for those reasons that I say, “In my estimation, this guide of roughly 262 pages is the best computer book for beginners every”.

But don't just take my word for it...

Check it out for yourself!