This book changed my life. I read it in high school when I was trying to learn how to lift weights. It goes into excruciating detail about how to perform compound barbell lifts, and prescribes a progressive overload program. Reading and following this book will take even the most sedentary person (me), and give them a baseline level of strength that will be a foundation for future athletic endeavors or just general health.
Following this program and dieting helped me lose over 150lbs, and I went from having never lifted a weight before to squatting 315, benching 225, and deadlifting 405 with this program. I eventually moved on to more advanced programs to get my lifts higher than this, but I credit this book with getting me into weight lifting with a proper foundation.