RE: Futaba 9C books
I have both books, so perhaps I can offer my own comparison.
Higley Book
If you have never owned a computer radio and perhaps have some apprehension about computer stuff in general, this might be for you. Consider it an absolute beginner book only. Similar to Higley's ARF book. If you've already owned ANY other computer radio (5 or 6 channel), don't waste your money.
AMC Book
Ann Marie's book is a good supplement to the factory manual, and gives some good inside information on mixing, etc that I never really understood prior to reading it. I learned how to mix throttle-to-throttle, for instance, after I read the section "Thinking Like a 9C". It's not "cookbook" oriented like the original factory manual (which she had a major hand in authoring). By that, I mean it doesn't necessarily walk you through how to set up a 4-servo wing plane like an UltraStick, step by step. The factory manual and online FAQ's do a good job of that. However, I found it to be very good if you are willing to spend some time to read and understand it. The concepts in it that I learned, I've applied to my 14MZ as well. Recommended.