Rich

The book you were just talking about, "The Backyard Astronomers Guid", Alan Dyer likes the Orion Lantnanum which you can get for under $100 if you don't get if from Orion. Dickenson on the othere hand likes th Pintax (more expensive). They both, of course, love the Naglers. 

I really like the book too. I am new to astronomy and the book covers a wide range of subject and give really good advice to beginners as well as good foundational knowledge.  It has a beautiful picture of M31 on the front and evidently Dickensen is quite an accomplished Astrophotographer; lots of cool photos.

Jim Gibson