I had one CFI tell me its critical to read it front-to-back and a couple others said to forget it and go with others (albeit that I cant find anywhere? are these guys dissenters?). This book seems like a good resource... Thoughts?
Have one you want to get rid of? PM me.

I like the book a lot. Granted, it's dry at times (What FAA book isn't?), but it gives some very good explanations to various aspects of flying. Check it out... I may be wrong, but you may be able to get this for free online (PDF). If not, sorry to mislead you. Check out faa.gov.

Yes, you can read it for free online (PDF), but it gets kinda annoying after a while, and I would recommend just buying the book.

When I first learned to fly, I decided to get my glider pilot license before I got my airplane single engine land. The book I read was "Glider Flying Handbook." It was a very good and informative book. I have personally never read the Airplane Flying Handbook from front to back, but I do own a copy and I have several pages bookmarked. It is a good resource. I usually use the Jeppesen book for private students, and it works well. But the Airplane Flying Handbook should be a good resource.

The Airplane Flying Handbook is a good resource. Yes, it is dry, but explains things the way they need to be done. If you dont start reading it now...you will have to anyway when you are going for your CFI. Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge is a very good reference material you will need as well.

It's a good book. I have an extra copy around here somewhere.

My favorite is the FAA's "Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge". <- a Must Read.

The FAA handbooks are particularly useful for CFI applicants, because if you present something from a slightly different point of view than the examiner's perspective you can recover if you can reference one of the FAA handbooks...but if you try to reference a non-governement source, like a flight school textbook or the internet, that will not hold any water...

Good book... need-to-know info without having to sift through the "gee-whiz" info of a Jepps text

My thoughts exactly. I really don't like all the crap in jepp texts

I ended up picking up the FAA book and am almost finished plugging through it- not so bad actually. Also flipped through the "Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge" that F15 suggested: I'll pick that up next. The Flying Handbook seems to discuss jets further, which is helpful for me. thanks again.