Help me decide on a text book?
 

If my interest is mainly in learning to read and write Japanese, and knowing the Kanji well, and if my income isn't the highest, and I will have to resort to the computer for much of of my learning, what book is best? What must I have and what is good to have?

(I'm thinking Japanese in Magnaland is the best for my needs, but I hear so much about Genki and there is so much on the internet using Genki. Magnaland is cheaper which is also a draw for me.)

I recommend the textbook I use at university.

It's called "Genki" and there are two volumes. They are supported with CD's (you have to buy them seperately) and a website.

It has all the vocab and most of the kanji you need to achieve JPLT level 3 (Japanese Language Proficiency Test).

I'll throw another vote in for Genki. Used it during my first year of Japanese a few years back. Compared to other textbooks, Genki is quite cheap, even if you add in the workbook and the CD (which you should).

Japanese in Mangaland? That sounds gross. Buy Genki, it's cheap and the best.