Well I'm a great one for reading (means you have less time to do things and mess up the wood, I find

) so...
For a great general introduction I'd second Alf's suggestion of the Jackson & Day. For a bit more detail (actually, a lot more detail), I like Taunton's three titles:
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Furniture and Cabinet Construction
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Joinery
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Shaping Wood
All well-written and beautifully illustrated/photographed.