what is a good chess book for a beginner ? (sub 1000)

@Hwyrion - 

I also just realized that I have a copy of Yuri Averbakh's "Journey to the Chess Kingdom".  I had stuck it on my bookshelf and forgotten about it.  Looking at it now, it appears to be another of those books which are recommended in those "best" chess books lists and which are appropriate primarily for more advanced chess players.  In that light, and again based on your comments in your opening post, I still believe that Lev Alburt's "Comprehensive Chess Course", Vol.2 might be an appropriate choice for you at this time.  You can always return to the two books you had mentioned earlier once you have (gradually) absorbed the lessons in a few good books that are more accessible to your current level.  This would be the "gradual" process you had referred to, and in my opinion, the appropriate way to go about it.  As an example, if one embarks on the study of mathematics with no prior knowledge of the subject, it would be an exercise in frustration and futility to begin with a book about algebra before having mastered arithmetic.  This is the sort of situation you are currently confronted with. 

For most of us non-prodigies, we eventually come to accept that acquiring skill at chess is a process,  and a very challenging one.  That is, there is no quick route to chess mastery.  This is as it should be.  If chess were easy, I doubt it would take very long to become bored with it.  Much of the pleasure derived from the game comes from the effort that goes into learning it, at least a much as in playing it.  For me, the appeal of the game is that it is a journey, a journey which hopefully I will never complete...

Great @RussBell...thanks for the recommendations!

Welcome Hwyrion.  Good luck!

i will go with The Art of War for obvious reasons.

Well assuming the OP is young and a boy I would recommend:-

Chess Player's Bible - James Eade &  Al Lawrence.

Book is relatively cheap and for only a little extra can be obtained in a very practical ring-binder form.

As a young boy myself the only reason I opened a book was to look at the pictures, diagrams and illustrations - the more colour the better! - with a bit of text here and there. If this rings true for you then this would be the book to buy.

The Soviet Chess Primer would be the 'big book' to buy.

@sleepypersonhappy -

Both "Soviet Chess Primer" by Maizelis and "Journey to the Chess Kingdom", by Averbakh/Beilin are relatively advanced books appropriate primarily for those rated at least 1400 Elo and higher.  These books are certainly much too advanced for players rated below 1000 Elo.

Based on your current rating level - beginner/novice - it would be better for you to choose from books more appropriate for that level, written by authors who specialize in writing books for the beginner-intermediate audience - e.g., Pandlofini, Seirawan, Heisman, among many others - suggested here...

Good Chess Books for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/good-chess-books-for-beginners-and-beyond

as for pdf copies of books, check out my article....

Scribd and PDFdrive For Online Chess Book Reading, Downloading...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/scribd-com-for-online-chess-book-reading

I really meant the OP could transition from 'Chess Player's Bible' to the 'Soviet Chess Primer'.

From the ages of 10 to 16 children can improve extremely fast if self-motivated and talented enough to do so, in areas unconstrainted by modern educational -and often political - ideology.  I honestly think the modern dismissal of physical books for the 'on-line' and 'worksheet' methods etc is one of the dumbest educational movements and mindsets of the century. 

While I don't view it as totally worthless, I view most online chess education content as simply an 'appetizer' for the 'main course' - books - in terms of the chess education experience.  Serious chess instructional videos of the sort that Chessbase (and several other similar companies) produces also provide a viable educational experience.

Chess mastery can only come through hard work.  There are no short cuts.  Aside from a good  personal chess coach, books are the best medium for imparting the deep knowledge of the game required to master it.  I'm still on the journey...