Note: This book review was written in late 1981 or early 1982.
Newer books are not covered. Readers should also look into
Dave Cortesi's book and other new books on the subject.

                 CPM-BOOK.DOC

                Summarized Rating Chart
                           (1)     (2)    (3)    (4)    (5)
Index                       x       x      x      x      no
CP/M User group address     x       no     x      no     x
Software list               x       no     x      no     x
Hardware list               x       no     no     no     x
Command summary             x       x      x      x      x
CP/M version differences    x       x      no     no     no
Glossary                    no      no     no     no     x

(1) Osborne CP/M User Guide (The best overall)
(2) The CP/M Handbook (Excellent reference guide)
(3) CP/M Primer (Best to read before buying CP/M)
(4) Using CP/M (Read before buying a computer)
(5) How to Get Started with CP/M (Read only if you like to
    read books)

Hogan, Thom, OSBORNE CP/M USER GUIDE, Berkely: Osborne / Mcgraw-Hill 1981.
Price $12.99  - 283 Pages.

    CHAPTERS one thru eight: Intro to CP/M & Operating systems, CP/M
built-in commands, CP/M transient commands, Asm language utilities,
Other transient programs & CP/M, MP/M, CP/NET & CP/M derivatives,
Technical aspects of CP/M, Putting it all together: the systems
approach.  APPENDICES: CP/M command summary, ASCII character codes,
Comparisions of CP/M versions 1.3, 1.4 & 2.0, CP/M prompts, Diskette
selection, Annotated bibliography and CP/M address book.

    I rate this book the best overall because its easy reading style
will get you familiar with all the CP/M commands very quickly.  And it
explains some of the more difficult to understand CP/M facilities (e.g. 
modifying the BIOS), without talking over the beginner's head.
Appropriate comments on the different versions of CP/M are liberally
used in this book and will not confuse the beginner.

    Its best features include: an extensive magazine article list on
CP/M, languages, and utilities, error messages for each CP/M command are
listed immediately after its description, a brief description of the
more popular languages and a list of different cpu diskette formats.

   Boo-boos - In chapter 7, page 222 "Routine from MODEM527.ASM by Ward
Christiansen(sic)".


Zaks, Rodney, THE CP/M HANDBOOK with MP/M, Berkeley: Sybex 1980.
Price $14.95 - 321 Pages.

CHAPTERS one thru eight: Intro to CP/M & MP/M, CP/M & MP/M facilities,
Handling files with pip, Using the editor, Inside CP/M (and MP/M),
Reference guide to CP/M & MP/M commands & programs, Practical hints, and
The future. APPENDICES: Common CP/M error messages, Hex conversion
table, ASCII conversion table, Ed control characters, ED commands, Pip
device names, Pip keywords, Pip parameters, CP/M (and MP/M) commands,
Command editing controls, CP/M extension types, Supplies (checklist),
Computer room organization (checklist), Failure checklist, Basic trouble
shooting rules.

    This book is the best reference guide of all the CP/M books because
CP/M versions 1.4, 2.2 and MP/M commands are distinguished throughout. 
It uses a brute force method of explaining the various command options
otherwise I would rate it equal to the Osborne CP/M User Guide.  This is
the only book that describes the MP/M commands and it should be sitting
next to the console when using CP/M.