Recommended Reading
Fred Hoyle the astronomer said that unless you have exceptional talent you need a teacher to study mathematics successfully. I think this is true to some extent, but some people could probably get A level mathematics themselves by using a good textbook.
However, I believe that there will always be things to be filled in. Textbooks are constrained by economic considerations. Cost prohibits publishers from publishing very large books with huge numbers of worked examples and there will always be some "odd" problems which the reader cannot do for himself.
I have benefited greatly from being taught things by others, and a tutor can do much to make a textbook more useful.
