TeXbook

The TeXbook is a foundational text on the TeX typesetting system, written by its creator, Donald E. Knuth. Published in 1984, it serves as the primary reference for understanding and using TeX. The book is divided into three parts. Part I, "The Roman Manual," is a practical introduction to using TeX for everyday typesetting tasks, explaining fundamental concepts like characters, words, paragraphs, and pages. It guides users through the creation of simple documents and introduces basic commands. Part II, "The Computer Modern Fonts," delves into the details of the Computer Modern font family, which was designed by Knuth specifically for TeX. It discusses font metrics, character sets, and how to use them effectively. Part III, "The Grand Unicode," provides a more in-depth and technical exploration of TeX's internal workings and advanced features. This section is aimed at users who want to understand the inner mechanisms of TeX or develop their own macro packages. The TeXbook is renowned for its clarity, rigorousness, and Knuth's characteristic lucid explanations. It is considered essential reading for anyone serious about mastering TeX and its capabilities. While the technology has evolved, the principles laid out in The TeXbook remain highly relevant for understanding the core of TeX.