Illustrated Manual of American Watch Movements, is this a good book to get a hold of for a newly minted watchmaker?

What about the book American Pocket Watches?

I am not really into collecting yet, just repairing, so I'm thinking the manual would be better to get first.

Dale,
For repairing, the first book you want to get is, The Watch Repairer's Manual, by Henry B. Fried.
Brian C.

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific. I am already using the Chicago Schools course and might eventually get the Fried Manual too.

I am really looking for additional books for reference material and general information on pocket watches.

Dale, Illustrated Manual of American Watch Movements, is a very useful book to have if you need reference numbers for parts, and mainspring size information, it basically has rough drawings and factory numbers of the most common models. As Brian say for repairing the first would be the Fried books.