[YugM]

A friend has asked me to recommend a beginners’ book. Not only has he never played bridge before, I don’t think he is familiar with any games in the whist family, so he will need a book which explains what a trick is and what a trump is.
Any recommendations please? I would like to find a book that teaches 5-card Majors and 15-17 NT as this will enable him to play with most people online.

[awm]

I really like "Bridge for Dummies" by Eddie Kantar.

[mycroft]

The club/diamond series is actually a really good start, but it is aimed at retirees. If your friend is still of an age where "learning new things is easy/part of life", however, they will plow through it in a day or two, and it won't really help (frankly, you need to take even that at a pace with actual practise hands for all of what you're reading to sink in).

I really like Fred's How to Play Bridge programs (if you can find them any more), especially for people who are not familiar with tricks and trumps.

I'd suggest "Five Weeks" (I always do) because it is hands down the best ever book at explaining "why bridge". But it's 16-18 NTs and 4cM, and pre-negative doubles, and nobody can play that any more (and those who can don't want to). The right kind of person, however, could learn with that (and playing with you), and once they have their feet, a quick march through any modern "intro to bridge" book will get them 5cM, 15-17, transfers (can't remember if they're in 5W?), Keycard, negative doubles, at least to get them to 1980.