The "first book of go" would be the rules. For someone just starting out, I would put this one 3rd in line of must-read books.1. Janice Kim's "Learn to Play Go: Volume 1" (which includes the rules)2. Janice Kim's "Learn to Play Go: Volume 2" (which includes the rules)3. The Second Book of GoThe Kim books will give you a basis for understanding what this book is talking about."The Second Book of Go" dives right in, with a shallow overview of many topics. Each chapter is a survey of a particular topic like the opening, the endgame, liberties, counting, tesuji, joseki, shape and ko fighting. Giving on several pages to each topic, it's very shallow in it's coverage. However, a player who just learned the rules is still going to have to work hard to absorb this information. I read some chapters in here upwards of 10 times as I progressed, and still picked up new information each time.Of of the key concepts in this book, which will help any new player, comes in the handicap chapter. The premise is that since you're awful, you'll be playing black a lot and usually with a high handicap. It gives you some strategies to practice to exploit your extra starting material, stressing an attacking style. The authors don't suggest a reckless style, but instead want you to put pressure on your opponent right from the start.This book is required reading for all beginners. ( )

This book provides a comprehensive survey of the basic concepts of go for the advanced beginner: openings, handicap strategy, josekis, attacking, tesuji, life and death, capturing races, good shape, endgame, and ko fighting. The book covered these topics in greatly varying lengths. It treats capturing races in two chapters—probably exhausting the subject—while ko fighting only gets five pages. I had trouble following some of the examples; I think the author expected more expertise from the reader and therefore left much unsaid. I enjoyed that many of the chapters suggest books for further study, a welcome guide to the bewildering number of available go books.

Despite its title, I found it an excellent third book, and it definitely required more than a simple knowledge of the rules, despite its subtitle. I'll be digesting the contents of this book for quite a while. ( )