can you recommend any book on ventriloquism that you enjoy or you think is especially useful for a begginer or intermediate.
and who is your favorite pastime ventriloquist?

I'm a fan of all of the past vents, from Edgar Bergen, Paul Winchell and Jimmy Nelson to the new generation including Ronn Lucas and Jeff Dunham. The book I used to learn ventriloquism was Ventriloquism For Fun & Profit by Paul Winchell.