I was able to get the book ahead of time. And I actually READ IT, studied it, learned the material. The book was provided when I paid and signed up for the class. I thought it was a good idea to be knowledgeable as to the laws, when I can legally defend myself and so on. To me the class was not an obstacle stopping me from getting my CCW permit, it was a useful part of the process. The test was easy because I was prepaired.