This is actually a Williams Sonoma cookbook, which means that the recipes are, for the most part, accessible. This is a big, pretty, 3/4" thick hardcover book. My copy has crinkled pages from where it got wet when I made the Ceviche de Callo de Hacha con Aguacate on page 41. It's loaded with gorgeous color photos of the different regions of Mexico, and sumptuous photos of each recipe. Again, the recipes are easy to understand. The biggest challenge is availability of ingredients. But this would make a nice gift for a cook, probably not a novice, though. I also made the Calamares en Salsa de Tres Chiles on page 151. A fun cookbook to sit around and read.