[Eager2Learn]

Yeah I got some cash from Christmas/B-day and was thinking of buying a few books. So here are my options

Le Gavroche Cookbook/Le Guide Culinaire/Larousse Gastronomique

if anyone could give me advice on which one would be better that would be lovely also I'll be buying Kitchen Confidential and Heat, but has anyone had experience with 'All about Braising'? if so could you please tell me what you thought about it? Thanks in advance.

Answers recieved straight away are really appreciated as I'm craving many books at the moment.

Also could someone recommend me a book for italian cuisine or German Cuisine and a great book on sauces and/or soups.

Any chef written books that are really good?

Sorry for asking alot, but I just don't want to end up with books that I'd hate and I'm really interested in reading as many books and using recipes from cookbooks and of course inspiration.

[Mannlicher]

You might also consider the CIA's The Professional Chef.
This is a book all serious students and cooks should have on their book shelf.

The Professional Chef Culinary Textbook : CIAProchef.com

[Eager2Learn]

Thanks Mannlicher I'll look into it.

Anyone else have an opinion? (This seems to be one of the less looked at part of the forums)

[KCZ]

I have LaGavroche and I rarely use it because too many of the recipes require exotic and unobtainable ingredients. I find any of Patricia Wells' books to be much more usable.

I would recommend James Peterson's Sauces and Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.