Since all the Atari computers are compatible, books about any one of them should apply quite easily to all the rest.

In this, Atari owners are quite lucky. As Atari was one of the earlier entrants into the home computer market, there are a good many books about the Atari machines already available.

Of course, the new Ataris do have a few enhancements over the older models, but Atari Basic is largely the same throughout and the add-ons are usually interchangeable. The ATASCII character set and sprites are universal throughout the range so that listings on one machine can be typed into another.

There are two major categories of book written for the Ataris: the 'listings' book and the 'how-to-make-the-most-of' book. Not all Atari books would fit into these strict categories, but many fall within their guidelines.

The Atari 600XL Program Book by Peter Goode definitely fits in the first category. It's full of listings that cover a wide range of applications including arcade, adventure and word games, music simulations and business graphics.

Arcade games are taken care of in games like Space City, Cruise Attack, Robot Island, Road Block, Roadrunner and Black Holes. Other varieties of game are considered in challenges such as Dice, Fruit Machine, Flags Of The World, Wordgrams and Simper.

In the introduction to his book, Peter Goode says that it was written: because we are aware of the potential of the Atari 600XL we have written a wide choice of programs which make use of the computer's facilities. If you are a games player, you will find ample opportunity to use the colour and graphics while testing your reactions and twisting skills to the full.

The Atari 600XL Program Book is published by Phoenix Publishing Associates and sells for £5.95.

The Atari Book Of Games by Mike James, S. M. Gee and Kay Ewbank also fits into the 'listings' category of Atari books. In the authors' own words, this book contains: "21 games about which two-thirds can be described as moving graphics games. Some of these are variations on familiar themes, for example Invaders, Attack Squash and Bobsleigh. Others have titles that probably don't ring any bells - Sheepdog Trials, Commando Jump and Across The Ravine.

"Laser Attack and Mighty Missile are both "zap-the-enemy" type games with special features that make them very different. Treasure Island is another program that is out of the ordinary. It is a game that tests your memory and relies on a variety of interesting graphics techniques.

"Capture The Quark is a board game in which you play against the computer on an 8x8 grid. There are also some programs for traditional pastimes."

The Atari Book Of Games is published by Granada and sells for £5.95.

Making The Most Of Your Atari by Paul Bunn is another book that falls in the 'listings' category - although it does contain a substantial introduction.

In addition to the usual collection of games listings there are also some utilities for the Ataris included in this book. The book claims to include: "all the essential information you'll need to improve your programming techniques on the Atari computers."

"From making the most of the graphics to using sound and the joysticks or paddle, you'll find the vital addresses, the important locations, the programming tricks to get your Atari to do just about anything you want it to do.

"And if you want a generous collection of programs, in ready-to-run form, you'll also find them in this book. From Beetle Juice (you, as a small, red beetle, try to cross a busy street without being squashed) to Dodge 'Em (in which you use a joystick to drive your car around a maze, and avoid the computer's car), there are programs for every taste and occasion.

The book is published by Interface Publications and sells for £4.95.

Learning To Use The Atari 400/800 by Susan Fry is yet another in the Gower look-alike Learning To Use... series for all popular micros.

Here are its claims: "This beginner's guide really does begin at the beginning. It assumes that you want to learn to use the Atari 400/800 computer in your work or leisure, not become a theorist in computing. Learning To Use The Atari 400/800 Computer provides a simple, down to earth, jargon-free introduction to the machine and its software.

"Many applications of the Atari 400/800 are described, including business, educational and hobby uses. Additionally, a simple and direct introduction to programming the Atari 400/800 is given in a way which will help motivate the user to further investigation of the Atari 400/800's capabilities. The Atari 400/800's ability to produce and draw pictures and diagrams is explored and explained and programs for a large number of graphics applications are presented."

Learning To Use The Atari 400/800 Computer is published by Gower and sells for £4.95.

Atari Pilot For Beginners by Jim Conian, Tracy Deliman and Dymax is a very specialized book for the Atari - a book on how to use the machines with the Pilot computing language.

The authors claim: "With this book you can learn to make your Atari 400 and 800 computers play music, display colourful moving pictures and do mathematics. Discover the new Pilot computer language which is designed to do important things quickly and easily."

"It is especially designed to let the beginner learn through play and experimentation with computer programming, and all of the programs included in the book were tested by children and beginning adult computer users."

Atari Pilot is published by Reston Publishing and sells for £11.95.

Kids And The Atari by Edward H. Carlson, is very much a guide for the beginner's beginner. It's divided up into lessons and goes through the business of learning about computers in a very comprehensive fashion.

Here's what the book has to say for itself: "This book is designed to teach Atari Basic to youngsters in the range from 10 to 14 years old. It gives guidance, explanations, exercises, reviews and 'quizzes'. Some exercises have room for the student to write in answers that you can check later."

"Learning to program is not easy because it requires handling some sophisticated concepts. It also requires accuracy and attention to detail which are not typical childhood traits. For these very reaons it is a valuable experience for children. They will be well rewarded if they can stick with the book long enough to reach the fun projects."

That quote is from the Note to Parents - there are similar notes to kids and teachers at the start of this book. Although it all seems rather serious, the book is filled with cartoons and does take a rather light-hearted look at things.

It's published by Prentice-Hall and sells for £16.95.

Get More From The Atari by Ian Sinclair is one of those good all-round books that bridges the gap between a 'listings' book and a 'how-to-make-the-most-of' book. Not only are all the regular topics included, but also a smattering of program examples that make things that much clearer.

"This book is aimed at the beginner who has just acquired an Atari 400 or 800, but it should be of considerable service to the established owner of an Atari who has never timed programming. Programming for both models is identical, and the main differences between the 400 and 800 are the keyboards, the provision of an extra cartridge slot in the 800.

"Everything in the book, therefore, refers equally to both the 400 and 800 computers. I am sure that the text and examples will provide a welcome source of information for the beginner. I hope also that the more seasoned user will find much of interest, and perhaps a few welcome surprises."

The book is published by Granada and sells for £5.95.

Atari Basic by Bob Albrecht, Le Roy Finkel and Jerald R. Brown is one of the better guides to Atari Basic.

First published in 1979, the book takes a lesson-by-lesson approach to Basic. The book claims rather simply that it will "teach you how to write programs using the Basic language, specifically for Atari computers."

"It is the nature of progress to find ways of improving things, and Basic is no exception, so you may find that your Basic has some extra statements and refinements that were not in the 8K Atari Basic we used in writing the book. So we encourage you to experiment and, if you get stuck, consult your reference manual.

"Also, notice that there is an appendix of functions. By chapters 3 or 4 you enchance your understanding of the capabilities of your computer. Learn how to save (CSAVE) your programs on the cassette recorder, if you opted to include one on your computer system. As you progress on to writing longer programs that are developed and modified, having an early version on tape saves tedious typing time."

Atari Basic is an American book published by John Wiley and Sons and sells for $10.95 there (the UK price will depend on exchange rates).

The Addison-Wesley Book Of Atari Software isn't so much of a book as a major reference guide. It has tried to bring together - in a comprehensive list - as many bits of Atari software as possible.

This is how the authors lay out their mandate: "This 1983 edition of The Book Of Atari Software is a software review book for owners of Atari VCS (and the new Atari 5200), Atari 400 and Atari 800 computers, offering evaluations of a wide variety of the programs presently available."

"Atari computer owners are currently confronted with a bewildering selection of software from which to choose. On one hand, as the owner of an extremely popular microcomputer, you have a rapidly expanding selection of software available. On the other hand, this wide and growing selection of programs presents some problems. The majority of people staffing retail computer stores simply do not have the time to adequately review each new piece of software, nor to track the market in order to tell you what programs might be worth special ordering. Add the fact that a large number of Atari computers are sold in discount houses and department and/or toy stores where the personnel are not normally knowledgeable about computers, then the strong need for a reliable guide to purchasing software becomes even more important."

The Book Of Atari Software claims to be that book. It is published by Addison-Wesley and sells for $19.95 (again UK prices will depend on exchange rates).