Are Gardening Books Really Helpful?

I haven't found any of the three gardening books I've read to be especially helpful which is why I started this blog. It seems like true gardening knowledge and success can only be gained through experience so I thought that by documenting my experiences I would help others learn what not to do and help myself remember what goes wrong so that I can improve things in the future. Ultimately, I wonder how much gardening advice it is really possible to give since everyone's garden has its own microclimate and its own set of pros and cons. I think it may only be possible to give out general guidelines, which is what all books seem to do, and then let each gardener learn for herself from experience.