Good resource material

I first had this book in 1986, I used it quite a bit back in the day. I continued to use it up until 2002. I left it in a bakery in 2002, but always wanted it back. Now i just purchased it on amazon. Yea!! very happy. Some very good formulas.

I was looking for a book with recipes that could be used in a
commercial bakery.
This did not have the type of recipes that I needed.
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The "practical" in the title refers to the professional bakery, not the home kitchen. The author is a representative of the wheat industry, so the emphasis here is on bread products and the various varieties of wheat that are available. The most interesting feature are the sections diagnosing various production problems and their causes and solutions.
The dust jacket says that the book is good for both small and large baking operations, but the ingredient chapter is more relevant to a large operation rather than the neighborhood bakery. The production chapter is more suited to large scale applications and under-developed countries. The emphasis is on low per-unit cost and high through-put processes. As such, it is more apropos to the wholesale bakery operation rather than the neighborhood bake shop. The author often emphasizes quantity and convenience over quality and taste. As such, it is more suitable to wholesale bakery operations rather than the local bake shop or the bakery student, statements in the appendix not withstanding.
I do not have the necessary experience to judge the value of the recipes for either production dor learning purposes. However, the book seems to be meant as an all-purpose reference to sit on the shelf of a large, wholesale bakery rather than a study manual or a source to develope new baking procedures and recipes. For example, there is little distinction in the recipes for French, Italian, and Viennese loaf breads; they seem to assume an on-going baking procedure that needs assistance. It is more of a supplementary text to aid on-going production rather than a collection of basic techniques and procedures. As such, I am not sure of its value as learning tool for the student, statements in the Appendices not withstanding. As a learning tool, it is inadequate. As a reference book, it is, I guess, acceptable.
It is a 5th edition, but I found an unusually large number of editorial mistakes. There is "poor" rather than pour (p.445), p. 524 has "sufficient" instead of "insufficient", "fold" rather than hold, and the cakes chapter page headers are incorrect (has "common problems with fruit cakes" on top of brownie and cheescake sections). The author mistakenly states that increased acidity in the dough increases or strengthens the pH. In fact, it is the opposite: increasing acidity decreases the pH. Alkali, like baking soda, has a very high pH. In the international version of the recipes, the % of flour sometimes is and sometimes is not listed as 100%. He also states that there are "hard" cheddar cheeses versus the softer, grated "American-type", which seems to be a meaningless distinction.
The coverage of pastry and cakes is perfunctory at best. It is aimed at the professional baker, and is certainly not recommendable for the home baker. The book seems to have been designed as a textbook. As such, it is more useful as a resource rather than a tutorial, which is perfectly acceptable if this book is used along with a production manual as part of a professional course in baking. Its primary audience is experience bakers who need a reference book.

I have run Baked in Telluride in southwest Colorado for 35 years, and have used Sultan's Practical Baking extensively since day one. I am currently using the third edition (1981). We still add new products based on these classic recipes. It was created as a text for the Food and Maritime Trades Vocational High School (no longer operating). Just for one, the recipe for bagels is near perfect. We use the Passover Macaroon recipe throughout the year, one of our signature items. The Chapter introduction sections are also invaluable for understanding of professional baking. No, it's not for home cooks, but they would do well to follow the weight based method used in other countries by most cooks and in most American bakeries. Recipes are presented in a bakers format, with ingredients grouped by actions, followed procedures for product makeup and baking. This style of recipe is much easier to use than the shopping list style used by most home cooks recipes.

I have been using this book since 1988, and it looks it! Are there a couple of mistakes as one reviewer says? Yes there are, but I really don't hold the author responsible, there are editors. I know of many neighborhood bakeries who use this book as the foundation for there products, they are of good quality.

I recommend this book to all beginner bakers and experienced as well. It's a textbook and bakers manual - it is not a book of recipes.

Highly recommended as a reference book, rather than a recipe

book. This book is a must for bakers or bakers-tobe who want to know

more about the technical details of baking. Although it covers

pastry, the book is definitely geared towards bread baking from a

professional baker's point of view.

I have been baking for 35 years and now teach baking and culinary arts and use this book extensivley. It is the most comprehensive and accurate book on baking I have come across. Highly recommended for anyone serious about becoming a baker