Over the past couple of years, I’ve read and reviewed dozens of instructional Internet books: guides aimed at beginners, complicated upgrade manuals for advanced users, and just about everything in between. A few of these books were real gems – thorough, well thought-out, cleanly written guides to getting online. Most of them, mind you, were just not ready for prime time.

So Get Me to the Church Online is a pleasant surprise. Like most get-yourself-online books, it follows a pretty standard format. The first few chapters cover finding an Internet service provider (ISP), configuring software, using a modem, and getting started with search engines, and then a longer section offers a series of web site reviews.

The instructional section moves slowly, but it’s very thorough. Step by step, it explains what an ISP is, how to find one, and how to evaluate prices. It explains exactly what information (DNS addresses, POP hosts, and so on) users will need from their new provider. Then – and this alone makes Get Me to the Church Online worth a look – it explains what all those cryptic numbers mean. Other steps, like installing software and sending your first e-mail, also get the full treatment. The whole thing has a friendly, hand-holding tone that will make some readers bristle, but that most newbies will be grateful for.

The review section is also good. Cheryl Perry knows that the book is written for the ecumenical community and focuses on inclusive, friendly sites. This leaves out conservative Christianity – a good chunk of the religious Web – but it’s a conscious decision, not an oversight.

Get Me to the Church Online is a remarkable book. While aimed at a specific audience, it’s so well executed that anyone new to the Net would do well to check it out.