These books (and their earlier versions) came with most Apple ][s, probably just about all that were sold in educational settings. Unlike BASIC Computer Games, they taught programming - something BASIC Computer Games (also a great and influential book) didn't.
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I was introduced to programming by the book that came with The Apple IIGS, "A Touch of Applesoft Basic." http://www.apple2.pl/books/applesoft.pdf
I've always wondered if it was one of the most influential books, ever. It certainly influenced me!
To be influential, it would help if it were sold with one of the most popular systems. There were only around 1.7 million Apple IIgs systems sold.
The Commodore 64 sold the most systems but so many owners only played games on it that the manual probably wasn't the most influential book on BASIC.
Exempting system manuals, the BASIC Computer Games books were probably it.
These books (and their earlier versions) came with most Apple ][s, probably just about all that were sold in educational settings. Unlike BASIC Computer Games, they taught programming - something BASIC Computer Games (also a great and influential book) didn't.