Beginning Bonsai: The Gentle Art of Miniature Tree Growing (ISBN 0804817294)

A nice overview of a complex art:
A good book for someone with no bonsai experience. The authors keep the basics of bonsai simple and point the novice in the right direction. Although it would be a good reference to have handy while attempting that first Juniper, the beginner would do well to read other books before going further.