No, it is not a joke.
You'll probably won't want to print the 464 page Manual, but I strongly encourage you to download the pdf version:
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/PhotoshopEl ... 6_help.pdf
It's very rich and I always find something new, for example chapter 12 for color correction. Even if it is not the best book for beginners, it will be useful to all. And if something is not clear for you, ask on this forum, this can lead to very interesting discussions.
You'll probably won't want to print the 464 page Manual, but I strongly encourage you to download the pdf version:
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/PhotoshopEl ... 6_help.pdf
It's very rich and I always find something new, for example chapter 12 for color correction. Even if it is not the best book for beginners, it will be useful to all. And if something is not clear for you, ask on this forum, this can lead to very interesting discussions.