Can anyone suggest books to help learn Ubuntu?
I understand there are online resources to learn Ubuntu but I hate having to search through all of the waste to get to what I need.
Here's a pdf.
http://it-ebooks.info/book/462/
The Ubuntu documentation (https://help.ubuntu.com/) will probably be a good place to start.
Ubuntu is a very simple distro. it's also a very good distro as it is set out of the box both for new users, and for power users. you might just need a friend to hold your hand for 30min or so; but im absolutely sure you do not need a book for it.
grab the iso and install it, then google for things you want to do on it (the first thing you should google for is how to install the nvidia/ati proprietary drivers)
What exactly do you want to learn? What do you want your Ubuntu to be capable of?
I agree with #4. At least install it and start using it for internet and multimedia. Then, if you have a problem, you can learn linux, while solving it. You can go further and try to play some games on it, you will have a lot of fun getting them to run. If you're into that kind of thing, that is. Oh, and consider installing programs by compiling them from source code. Not all of them of course, get the essentials from repo. Good luck on your noble quest!
P.S. It is only my opinion, and you may do whatever you want, but I think, that Ubuntu is not the best distro to learn linux. It is good to "feel the water" and get accustomed to all things GNU. However, if you put learning above all else and are not afraid of what lies within, think about trying some other distro, preferably less stable and more buggy. It really is about finding your balance between comfort and challenge.
I wouldn't learn linux by using a book, just get an old laptop/pc or use your main one and install a distro on it. You will swear, curse, burn your hoiuse down and google a lot. But this will be worth it! I'm using Linux since I was 12 and been on windows and os x to, but I always went back.
Just google all your problems, but don't copy paste the commands!!!! Look at what they are doing, try to understand it and then look at your own system. If you don't know a component or command that they are using, look into it's man pages and try to understand everything of your system.
Believe me, this method will take a while, but you will know your system! Many Linux users only know the basics of their system but don't understeand deeper components and structures. Once you know these, you will find yourself in a world of Linux, and every other operating system will feel like a jail.
Just go out en explore consciously!