Rating: 
Summary: Rarely Such a Classic Comes Up!
Review: Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced - This book is the Thing! There are many aspects that render this book second to none. Some have been covered in other reviews, but let me stress one significant point - Forms. Most of the forms that we learn from Tai Chi academies all over the world contain many movements that seem to restrict the circular flow for a beginner. The small circle form is one form that is so circular that it is extremely easy to identify with. I have been teaching Tai Chi since about 3 Years, and every beginner or intermediate practitioner has trouble with being fluent with the form. It takes atleast a year to be free-flowing with the short version of Yang form. This is where Master Lam rises to the occasion. Using his "Lifetime of study" he has crystallized the essence of Tai Chi into this Small Circle form that is so simple that it takes only weeks to be free with this form since it has no sharp curves nor too much balancing but rather very simple circular movements. Also Master Lam also explains how we can use this simple form for Chi Kung. I have tried it, belive me it is extraordinarily powerful - just as Master Lam claimed. You may not find too much theory to show Master Lam's understanding of Tai Chi, but once you do the practices, you will come to know what a wise man it takes to write such a book. Even if you are an advanced practitioner, the Small Cirlce Form will surely help you tremendously. A book that would supplement the theoritical aspect would be "Embrace Tiger Return To Mountain" by Chungliang Al Huang.
Rating:
Summary: Best introductory book I've seen!
Review: Easy to understand illustrations and clear writing make this a good book for beginners and the curious. It includes (but doesn't emphasize) the spiritual/ somatopsychic aspects, so it's good for those exploring the totality of the art, and for the merely curious looking for a low impact exercise. I think Tai Chi could be a great exercise for those with chronic illness or pain, because it targets the postural muscles (which are often lacking in those with prolonged illness or back injury/ surgery).
Rating:
Summary: Better than a video
Review: I am too cheap to take lessons from a master. I tried using a video, but I found that I could not concentrate on the video and do the routines at the same time. "Step-By-Step" has clear descriptions and excellent drawings that I find very easy to follow. I can pause whenever I want and study the description or the drawing. I have set aside half an hour every morning to go through the routines and I have been able to persevere. I believe that "Step-By-Step" deserves the credit.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book for the lone beginner
Review: I bought this book based on very positive customer reviews, and I have found it to be a terrific book for someone like myself -- that is, someone with a chronic illness who is starting Tai Chi without an instructor. I've been doing the basic exercises for a couple of weeks, and I find that they loosen up my stiff joints, get my blood circulating, and make me feel very good -- unusually energetic. I have arthritis, and I'm not saying that the exercises cure the arthritis, but they do seem to calm it. We Americans think that exercise means flailing around madly, but this book has opened entirely new vistas for me.
Rating:
Summary: Exactly what I WANT...
Review: I bought this book because of the reviews. And, this book is exactly what I WANT. There is a short introduction and rest of the book is full of movements with explanations. Each page has 3 figures and 4 movements. It is really step by step...
Rating:
Summary: I got lucky buying this as my first Tai Chi book!
Review: I'll be brief. This is a great introductory book for us Westerners. This is 99% physical, and 1% metaphysical. It contains nothing about Chi/Qi or Qi Gong, and the motions are not from any of the major styles. Rather, the book presents a sort of "beginer's" form called Small Circle form. The book is a methodical and organized introduction to Tai Chi movements. The things you will learn in this book through its fantastic illustrations and explinations will give you the foundation you will need to tackle a class/style. The best part of this book is the way it focuses on posture, breathing, and warming up. Its self paced, but is designed to be done slowly and practiced daily, but thats up to your goals. Worth every dime. Start here before you get too crazy on spending.
Rating: 
Summary: Not So Good
Review: I've been practicing various forms of martial skills for 20 years and I'm really not sure why everyone seems to give this book such high praise. Even for beginners its just not that good. Let's face it, alot of martial arts books have been written using a poor writing style accompanied by gritty black and white pictures the size of a postage stamp. Step-By-Step has nice large color drawings but unfortunately they don't begin to cover all the dimensions of a move. Its writing style is lucid unlike many such books whose original Chinese was translated into Japanese and then English. It's a fine book in these two areas but that is not enough to be helpful to the beginner.I would not recommend it to the beginner who is trying to figure out Tai Chi Chuan on their own, with minimum instruction. You might be able to figure out a move but I doubt if your interpretation would be correct. A far better recommendation for beginners to intermediate is "Tai Chi Chuan" by Liang Sho-Yu offered at Amazon. It has the 24 move and 48 move postures as well as martial applications. I know, you're not interested in martial applications, but you should be because once you understand the real purpose of a move you can better understand how your body should be moving when you are practicing forms. Master Liang's explanations are clear and move by move along with good photo's of each move.
Rating:
Summary: great for a beginner (me)
Review: My personal exercise motto is: No pain - no pain. Tai Chi sounded like just the ticket, but because I travel I don't have time for a class. I looked at several books and chose this one because of the great illustrations accompanying the descriptions of the movements and the unhurried, easy progression the author provides. I think this is a great beginner's introduction to Tai Chi.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent introduction/Very useful for self-study of Tai Chi
Review: Please view the following web site for the review
www.dalsegno.com/chigong-e/cg2.htm
Rating:
Summary: The Best Tai Chi Starting Book
Review: The book explains Tai Chi really step by step. It explains philosophy of Tai Chi, warming movements, working with a partner, and 24-Movements. The book explains each movement and what to do. (how to breathe, how to stand, how to relax, etc.)
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