The Planning Commissioner’s Guide: One thing to read for somebody who has no background in planning

Continuing my series of questions answered, I got this question from one of my students: what is a good thing to read for somebody who has no background in planning at all?

I very much like Dale, Herman and McBride from the Planner’s Press, The Planning Commissioners Guide. Now I have always wondered about whether that title should have an apostrophe, but smart people publish these things and mine is not to wonder why.