No starch press has many such books.

“How Linux Works”, “The Linux Command Line” is the one I’ve (partially) read.

There’s also Linux From Scratch or maybe just try Arch without the install script if you have spare ssd to boot.

I’ve found that just selhosting shit will hit some inevitable roadblock, so it tend to end up making you read a whole bunch of documentation and at many points you will encounter new incantations which you also need the docs if you curious enough

This helped me quite a lot. You don’t have to use arcolinux either, it’s simply a guide.

https://www.arcolinux.info/learning-path/

edit i haven’t used that link in awhile and i’m not sure it’s the same experience anymore, some things appear to be missing. if unsure about any step, you can skip it usually. it’s more of a list of things to learn.

Many such efforts exist out there. [1]

Rather than link to any of those (~ in part because I don’t know which one will be best for you, with each our different learning styles and needs),

I’ll instead (because I know what’s best for you ~ /s) offer this whimsical short path to a path of expedience, that may look a longer harder road at first, but is actually, in the longer run, the shorter road that bump-starts you from a stalled zero to a [*cringe* ~ oh am I really going to say this…?] … linux hero. [LOL, dear goodness, what have I done? LOL. Well, you get the gist at least.] The [2nd[2]] shortest path: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t09IbcxAJlU <- follow the instructions in this 40s video.

It will take you to “the jump program” of learning Linux. … and just like in the movie, The Matrix, “Everybody fails the first time.” “Yeah, but what if he doesn’t?”

[1: websearching for lists of basic/“essential” linux commands is one way to trickle in some learning [with a little wax-on wax-off practice]. man man can help. IDK, maybe some familiarisation with the FHS (Filesystem Hierarchy Standard), some lectures on free software philosophy, unix philosophy, and following the curiosities from there, then the “how to linux” just sort of emerges organically from the awareness. … Things really start to take off, once you know about A: documentation (e.g. man pages (for a start)), and B: pipes (and other redirects). [Oh, and C: your package manager basic commands to install, search, remove, update list of available packages, and upgrade all packages.]]

[2: first’s not relevant here… higher shelf, needs more breadth of basics before going deeper. No point learning about poly-distros if don’t yet even know 1 distro. And so the 1st shortest is only shortest once already~ … never mind. We’re not supposed to talk about it. ;D]

Nothing wrong with GUI but yeah there are a lot of resources. I don’t know if I can point you to any because I usually just web search the command for the thing I want to do and add it to a long running note of Linux commands

Check out “Linux survival” if you’re old school, LabEx if you like experiential learning more, and less explanation. Both offer exercises, both are free, but Labex has a few restrictions for free accounts, and offers a paid tier at like 9 bucks a month. And ofc you don’t have to use the terminal irl, it’s just easier after getting used to it. Most things have a GUI program equivalent, you just have to seek it out. Most of the time.

Edit: And also, Linux Mint and a few others are often recommended to new users for being both similarish to windows and approachable with GUI.