Hello again.
I was wondering if a recent purchase of mine (great deal) is a good reference book or not assuming anyone has even heard of it.

It is The Dione Lucas Book Of French Cooking.
It seems to be basic enough with some good advice but again I want to know how it stacks up to some of the others out there.

P.S. The Stock I made from it was good so maybe that is all that is important.
and am getting confused with all the variations of the basic receipes...help please.

heres an idea you may want to explore.
find a book that is used in a cooking school and compare the recipes in it to the ones you find in the books you want to buy.
not just any school but one with a history.
you pick it or ask the chefs or students here where they went or are going.
that would give you a basic foundation of how and where to look(start with/from)
being that I'm old, I would start with Escoffier cause thats what I was taught in MY school.
its the FIRST BASIC you can get.
Master that, and you can master anyone.
my 0.02

in the uk i do believe that it is 'practical cookery' that is used as the main reference in colleges. i did not attend myself so i do not know what others are used also. this would be a good book for any chef to own though i think.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0340811471/qid=1087854202/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_10_1/202-2887950-2567855

My school used Professional Cooking by Wayne Gisslen. I still refer back to it frequently.