>PIE phonology. Various sources differ
> regarding phonetics of the stop series (and as to number of
> series).
There are only two questions here:
(a) three velar series or two? (Should we reconstruct plain *k?)
(b) fourway contrast in each series or three? (Should we reconstruct tH
etc?)
On the first, the argument against three velar series (*k', *k, *kw etc)
seems to be lost. There are two IE languages where traces of the three-way
series are claimed (Albanian and Luwian), but some people dispute this
evidence. If you take an algebraic approach to reconstruction, then *k
represents those original velars that do not assibilate in the satem
languages. If you take a phonetic approach, you have some difficulties, but
the suggestion that *k represents the uvular /q/ seems to solve them.
On the second argument, there is less agreement, but still a fairly wide
consensus that, apart from onomatopoeic words, the tH, pH, kH series should
not be reconstructed for PIE. That creates a whole bunch of problems, which
linguists are still playing with. But it does seem moderately clear that tH
etc derive most probably from t + laryngeal H.
As for your real question about modern books, it depends what kind of book
you're looking for - what level, how much detail.
Peter