The 10-week course and printed manual are included with every kit

Questions, answered.

I've never baked bread. Is this really a beginner kit?

Yes. The kit ships with a printed manual and short technique videos filmed with these exact tools, and the 10-week course starts at week one assuming no baking experience at all.

Does the kit include a live starter?

No — the kit doesn't ship a live starter culture. You grow your own using the jar and the week-one lesson in the course, which walks through the whole process.