1. Best choice (basics) for someone thinking about getting into bamboo:
"Fishing Bamboo" by John Gierach. Inexpensive and informative.

2. For more history with good depth on the Eastern early rodmakers, and continuing through the recent Winston debacle, try "Casting a Spell" by George Black. Published just this year.

3. The magnum opus is "Classic Rods and Rodmakers" by Martin Keane. Great stuff, but you'll have trouble getting a copy at a reasonable price.