Packt Publishing asked me to review the second edition of their Magento Beginner’s Guide. I gave it a look, and it builds on a successful foundation from the first edition. It’s not for the engineering-types, and doesn’t dive into the API and writing extensions and modules and stuff, but it does give a great overview of setting up and operating a storefront.
Magento is complex software, with many pitfalls for newcomers. Even selecting a hosting provider is difficult, and best to find ones that specialize in Magento hosting. This guide will help you work through the harder parts and get up and running much more quickly than doing it on your own.