I have had many soil textbooks cross by desk over the years. The Plaster text continues to be my favorite. It is user friendly, marrying theory and practical knowledge into one text. It is one that both students and professionals can turn to again and again as a great soils resource. This text discusses basic soil science principles and includes many references to horticulture and landscaping, making it appropriate for students in urban areas where traditional agriculture is not the norm. It is very user-friendly, with an easy to read style and many figures and color pictures illustrating concepts. I have used the book in my soil class at a community college since it was first introduced by the author and have not found anything that comes close to being as useful as this text.