The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning

from the introduction:
Do not feel that you have to be an experienced, dedicated handspinner to understand and use this book, which is intended to benefit anyone interested in the ancient and honorable craft of handspinning. In fact, the novice may gain more than the old hand. Veteran handspinners (your author included) tend to be insulated from reality by layers of opinion, glowing self-esteem, and preconceived notions. Handspinning's heritage extends over thousands of year. Much of the information presented here bears the credential of centuries of usage. This alond does not remove it from critical examination; the worth of a design or a technique cannot be judged solely on how long it has been around. Yet the long-term survival of a particular operation or specific tool shape indicates that it may be practical and effective. At the least, it warrants a proper trial. By the same token, new and unusual procedures should be examined carefully before being adopted whole-heartedly. This book was written with one main premise in mind: the more you learn about a craft, the better you are at that craft.