FrankH,
The answer to your question is slippery, depending on the experience and interests of the person asking, and the same goes for whomever is recommending.
For anyone more serious than just buying a Luger to have, the first indispensible book is Kenyon's "Lugers At Random". First published in 1969 it is not the most up-to-date source, but it remains the most comprehensive catalog of the most varieties of Lugers and their characterisitcs. Its photographs are large, perfunctory, and of moderate reproduction quality, its real value is in its comprehensiveness and text information.
The best current general history of the Luger is John Walters's "The Luger Story", �©1995. Datig's 1955 (revised 1958) book is a sentimental favorite, but it requires careful and experienced reading to see just how much was -not- known about Lugers in those years, and how much of Datig's speculation has proved to be in error.
For an inexperienced but ambitious Luger buff I recommend Aaron Davis's "Luger Handbook". With one serious reservation. This pocket-sized booklet begins with an excellent Luger identification system. It is a great little resource to take to gun shows or Luger dealers to help one become familiar with the various Luger variations as they present themselves.
That having been said, anyone buying this book would be wise to rip out the pages following the identification section and throw them away. The book's text is full of factual errors, and the price guides are straight out of cloud-cuckoo-land.
Davis's book, and its usefulness, introduces something which does not seem to come up whenever the topic is Luger books. That is, the paper is adjunct to the steel. It is important to "read"--examine--as many Lugers as possible, in order that one has a frame of reference for the information in the books.
The next level of good Luger books is a broad spectrum of volumes which are more tightly focussed on specific topics. And here also I will diverge a bit from the "conventional wisdom" found in these Forums.
Most recommend that one read books and decide what special interests one has, and then buy Lugers along those interests. I suspect that most inexperienced Luger aficionados are fairly bewildered by the Luger variety, and do not begin to have the background to make such a decision. Rather, one might profitably consider what varieties of Luger one has little interest in, and then explore the others for the interest they might hold.
At this point an aspiring Luger collector might do well to buy both books and Lugers. At least one or two, examples which one can disassemble and examine with books at hand to act as practical study guides.
The next indispensible books are Jan Still's volumes on the major Luger eras. These books are full of details which answer many of the questions one automatically comes up with about one's Luger--where? when? how many? used by whom? The photographs in these books are noteworthy in their excellence. Buy the volumes which match the era of the Lugers you have, and also which meet the historic interests you may be developiing.
The truly specialized books will present themselves directly to your evolving interests--"The Dutch Luger", "The Navy Luger", "The Swiss Parabellum", "La Luger Artiglieria", "The Krieghoff Parabellum", and Bender's holster and accessories book, among others.
Pay attention to the Luger Forums. At some point you may find yourself wanting to answer other people's questions, as well as asking your own (or perhaps you want to start answering your more detailed questions yourself). This is an excellent method of learning about Lugers, the necessity to figure out answers and check your facts while doing so. This is when books such as "German Small Arms Markings", "The Imperial German Regimental Markings", John Walters's "The Luger Book" �©1986, and Costanzo's proof marks magnum opus become worthwhile purchases.
I have not read Henrotin's e-books, but as a researcher I find printed pages much more satisfying and useful.
I hope this commentary has some value for you. I have gone rather farther afield than perhaps your question intended, but these things have been on my mind and I appreciate your providing the opportunity to express them.
--Dwight
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