The most fundamental technique for measuring stellar distances is via the method
of parallax. This technique defines the fundamental unit of distance in
stellar astronomy, the parallax-second or parsec
. 1 parsec = 206265 astronomical units,
or 
meters.
Prior to the launch of the spacecraft Hipparchos in 1990, parallax measurements were made from ground based telescopes. They were tough measurements, and only existed for a few hundred stars.
Hipparchos extended accurate parallax measurements to 118,000 stars, and has revolutionized astronomy. Students should look at the Hipparchos web page at Hipparchos Home Page.
Look at Appendix 10 of your textbook, which lists the stars nearer
than 4 parsecs.