i think it's a good starting point b/c so many tarot books in print seem to evolve in some way towards this book and deck. i think there is a list of good beginner books listed in the tarot books and media section. i would say that joan bunning's learning the tarot is excellent. you can download it for free off her website. i don't have it in my tarot links but i'm certain that some kind soul here has it. another thing to bear in mind is not everyone is a fan of the rws deck. there are several rws clones out there w/ varying degrees of popularity that he may like better than the original. if this is for xmas then go for it. later, he might choose something he likes better if he really gets into tarot.
for beginners, my fav decks are hanson roberts, universal waite by hanson roberts, mythic, robin wood, hoi polloi(OOP), hallloween, cosmic, aquarian, morgan greer, bota, tarot of a moon garden, zerner farber or enchanted, and the sharman burke casselli book deck set. i think my current personal beginner fav is the sharman burke casselli set. i think it's called the beginner's tarot. the book is excellent and easy to use. the deck is nice and corresponds with its own form of the rws. i prefer this to waite's deck set but this is just me.