When you're shopping for a software design course, the biggest question isn't always which program you need-it's which book will actually teach you the tool without derailing your budget. The four Adobe course books here cover Premiere Pro, After Effects, and an older Creative Suite 5 prep guide, with listed prices ranging from $7.42 to $49.46. The spread is wide: the lowest-priced book is 85% below the highest-priced one, but the cheap option is a completely different title. So the real decision is about matching the book's content and condition to your learning goals.
Quick Take
If you're focused on video editing in Premiere Pro, you'll find two options for essentially the same book-one priced lower than the other, both Brand New, both with the same ISBN. For After Effects, an Acceptable-condition copy offers a middle-ground price but may include notes and highlighting. And if you're preparing for an older Adobe certification, the Creative Suite 5 guide is the least expensive option, though it's tied to CS5-era tools.
Listed Price Comparison
| Product | Listed Price | Price Bar | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Premiere Pro: Complete Course & Compendium (Ben Goldsmith) | USD 40.49 | Brand New | |
| Adobe Premiere Pro: Complete Course & Compendium (Ben Goldsmith) | USD 49.46 | Brand New | |
| Adobe After Effects: Complete Course & Compendium | USD 21.88 | Acceptable | |
| Adobe Creative Suite 5 ACA Certification Prep (Keller) | USD 7.42 | Very Good |
Decision Matrix
| Product | Best For |
|---|---|
| Premiere Pro (lower-priced) | Learners who want the full Premiere Pro course without spending extra |
| Premiere Pro (higher-priced) | Shoppers who prefer a more detailed product description |
| After Effects | After Effects beginners open to a used copy |
| Creative Suite 5 ACA | Learners preparing for older certification |
Product Notes
Adobe Premiere Pro: A Complete Course and Compendium of Features (Brand New, $40.49)
This is the lower-priced way to get Ben Goldsmith's Premiere Pro course. It's marked Brand New, with the "Gift Giving condition" in the description, and it lists the same ISBN as the $49.46 version (9781681986876). If you're choosing between the two Premiere options, this one gives you the identical title for less. The description also notes unread and gift-giving condition, so it's a clean copy if that matters. The limitation is that the description doesn't break out the "Compendium" as a separate physical item-it's part of the book's title-so you'll need to accept that the whole course is in this single volume.
Adobe Premiere Pro: A Complete Course and Compendium of Features (Brand New, $49.46)
This is the same Premiere Pro book by Ben Goldsmith, also Brand New, with the same ISBN 9781681986876. It costs more than the other Premiere option, so unless you have a specific reason to prefer a more detailed description, the lower-priced version is the same book for less. The description here is more extensive, explaining that the book includes lessons and key reference features, and it's described as a guide to creating, editing, and enhancing videos. It may appeal if you like reading the full publisher description before buying, but the physical book is the same based on the shared ISBN.
Adobe After Effects: A Complete Course and Compendium of Features (Acceptable, $21.88)
If motion graphics or visual effects are your focus, this After Effects book by Ben Goldsmith covers the complete course and compendium of features. It's priced at $21.88, which is well below the Premiere Pro options, but the condition is Acceptable. The description explicitly says "Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting." So if you're okay with marked-up pages and want to spend less, this is a solid entry point for learning After Effects. The tradeoff is that the condition might not be ideal for someone who wants a clean reference copy, and you'll need to accept the possibility of heavy annotations.
Adobe Creative Suite 5 ACA Certification Preparation (Very Good, $7.42)
This is the least expensive item in the group and the only one aimed at an older certification. Written by Debra Keller, the full title is "Adobe Creative Suite 5 ACA Certification Preparation: Featuring Dreamweaver, Flash and Photoshop." At $7.42, it's a low-priced way to study for the CS5 ACA exam, and the Very Good condition means it's well-cared-for with all pages included and only minor wear. The limitation is that it's built around CS5-era software, so it won't cover the newer features in current Creative Cloud versions. If you're working with modern Adobe apps, this book may be outdated for your needs.
Final Recommendation by Use Case
For Premiere Pro learners, choose the lower-priced option over the higher-priced one-they share the same ISBN, so you get the same content for less unless you specifically prefer the more detailed description. For After Effects, the Acceptable-condition copy is a reasonable lower-priced choice if you don't mind notes and highlighting; if you want a clean copy, you may need to look elsewhere. For a tight budget or CS5 certification prep, the Creative Suite 5 guide is the least expensive way in, but it's tied to an older generation of software.
