> use a parser generator when you need a working parser, quick.

Not necessarily. Use it also when you need a more correct one :-)

The way the book presents the parsing subject leaves the impression that a handcrafted parser is generally preferrable.

I have experience with a project that was based on that book, and there were (and probably, are) a lot of bugs in the parsing code, that wouldn't have been there if a parser generator was used.

I don't camp for using parser generator at all costs, however, presenting both sides of the coin would allow readers to make a (more) informed choice.