I teach Revit Architecture at the community college level and choosing either a textbook or supplemental text is pretty important. I don't want my students spending money on something they won't use when the class is over, so I have chosen not to use a textbook. Instead, I encourage my students to buy a supplemental text that will help them during the class and on the job.
For that reason and several other, I recommend the "Mastering Revit Architecture" series and the Mastering Revit Architecture 2010 title is now available. Having read and used previous version of the Mastering Revit Architecture series in the classroom and at work, I have come to expect very high standards from the latest title "Mastering Revit Architecture 2010". I am pleased to report I was not disappointed. In short, the book is well organized and the material is presented in a manner that it can be used as an easy-to-follow tutorial or as an in-depth and knowledgeable reference. Each of the 20 chapters takes you through the subject matter from the basics to the more advanced features.
Why is this book different? I think what sets this book apart is the authors. You have your Autodesk insiders who are working for the company and know how each individual tool is intended to work. But you also have a practicing Architect as part of the writing team, Eddy Krygiel.
Eddy has worked on large complex projects like the IRS Center in Kansas City to much smaller projects like the renovation of his home (send me model pic to post Eddy). So what does that mean. Well, we have all seen the Autodesk demos of Revit. Sometimes the workflow makes sense and well, sometimes it does not. Sometimes Autodesk intends a tool to be used in a particular manner but in the real production world it gets used differently. That's what Eddy brings to the table. He helps you understand and learn the tools the way an Architect will use them. Not the way a programmer thinks you will use them. And he knows this because he is actually working on projects from pursuit to commissioning. He's not a consultant who may touch a project briefly or a application developer.
If you want a book that is going to teach you about the buttons on the ribbon, then find the cheapest one. If you want a book that is going to teach you how to properly use the tool so that you are successful with BIM, then I think you would be very happy with "Mastering Revit Architecture 2010" series.