This little book (less than 100 pages) includes a plethora of helpful tips and sound advice for would-be writers of historical fiction. I recently read another such "how-to" books that was three times the length but basically useless: the information was either too obvious or tailored to the author's own particular brand of fiction. (A long chapter on why it's important to discuss slavery or the treatment of Native American tribes in your book isn't particularly helpful if your book isn't set in nineteenth-century America.) Martin's book has long been a standard, and it's easy to see why. I've tagged many pages with Post-It notes and know that I'lll be keeping it at hand for quick reference. ( )