This book should be required for everyone even thinking about entering the field of public relations. The case studies give a very real view of how public relations are in the real world. Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR Wired is also another book that gives a real-life accurate view of PR. I would recommend in particular his Magoo Theory of public realtions.
Public Relations Practices has clear intelligent writing that talks to the reader without talking down to them

If ever a book was written that applied the concepts, theories, and functions of public relations to actual real-life senarios, this is the one. In their Public Relations Practices, Center and Jackson breathed life into theoretical public relations, bringing it into "the real world" with cases in several areas of public relations--media relations, consumer relations, employee relations, investor relations, community relations, crisis management, public and private issues, interests, & concerns, and most importantly, standards, values, & ethics. Two probable prerequisites to this book would be a book on the basic principles and practices of PR and a book on PR campaign strategies. Public Relations Practices is the door through which the reader is invited to enter "the real world" of PR. Anyone, from the student of public relations to the working practitioner with decades of experience, can greatly benefit from the information contained within this text.

I read this book in a college public relations class. Now, as an account executive in a public relations firm, I still find it invaluable. This text places special emphasis on the evaluation of public relations, and thus it is a credit to our field. I can't recommend it highly enough. Once you have read some introductory book on PR principles, this is required reading.