Reddit reviews The Method of Coordinates (Dover Books on Mathematics)

These are, in my opinion, some of the best books for learning high school level math:

• I.M Gelfand Algebra {[.pdf] (http://www.cimat.mx/ciencia_para_jovenes/bachillerato/libros/algebra_gelfand.pdf) | Amazon}
  
• I.M. Gelfand The Method of Coordinates {Amazon}
  
• I.M. Gelfand Functions and Graphs {.pdf | Amazon}
  
  These are all 1900's Russian math text books (probably the type that /u/oneorangehat was thinking of) edited by I.M. Galfand, who was something like the head of the Russian School for Correspondence. I basically lived off them during my first years of high school. They are pretty much exactly what you said you wanted; they have no pictures (except for graphs and diagrams), no useless information, and lots of great problems and explanations :) There is also I.M Gelfand Trigonometry {[.pdf] (http://users.auth.gr/~siskakis/GelfandSaul-Trigonometry.pdf) | Amazon} (which may be what you mean when you say precal, I'm not sure), but I do not own this myself and thus cannot say if it is as good as the others :)
  
  
  I should mention that these books start off with problems and ideas that are pretty easy, but quickly become increasingly complicated as you progress. There are also a lot of problems that require very little actual math knowledge, but a lot of ingenuity.
  
  Sorry for bad Englando, It is my native language but I haven't had time to learn it yet.

Read this: https://www.amazon.com/Algebra-Israel-M-Gelfand/dp/0817636773 and you're more than set for algebraic manipulation.

And if you're looking to get super fancy, then some of that: https://www.amazon.com/Method-Coordinates-Dover-Books-Mathematics/dp/0486425657/

And some of this for graphing practice: https://www.amazon.com/Functions-Graphs-Dover-Books-Mathematics/dp/0486425649/

And if you're looking to be a sage, these: https://www.amazon.com/Kiselevs-Geometry-Book-I-Planimetry/dp/0977985202/ + https://www.amazon.com/Kiselevs-Geometry-Book-II-Stereometry/dp/0977985210/

If you're uncomfortable with mental manipulation of geometric objects, then, before anything else, have a crack at this: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Graph-Theory-Dover-Mathematics/dp/0486678709/

If you need to brush up on some of the more basic topics, there's a series of books by IM Gelfand:

Algebra

Trigonometry

Functions and Graphs

The Method of Coordinates

First, please make sure everyone understands they are capable of teaching the entire subject without a textbook. "What am I to teach?" is answered by the Common Core standards. I think it's best to free teachers from the tyranny of textbooks and the entire educational system from the tyranny of textbook publishers. If teachers never address this, it'll likely never change.

Here are a few I think are capable to being used but are not part of a larger series to adopt beyond one course:
Most any book by Serge Lang, books written by mathematicians and without a host of co-writers and editors are more interesting, cover the same topics, more in depth, less bells, whistles, fluff, and unneeded pictures and other distracting things, and most of all, tell a coherent story and argument:

Geometry and solutions

Basic Mathematics is a precalculus book, but might work with some supplementary work for other classes.

A First Course in Calculus

For advanced students, and possibly just a good teacher with all students, the Art of Problem Solving series are very good books:
Middle & high school:
and elementary linked from their main page. I have seen the latter myself.

Some more very good books that should be used more, by Gelfand:

The Method of Coordinates

Functions and Graphs

Algebra

Trigonometry

Lines and Curves: A Practical Geometry Handbook