Books

My wife thinks I'm strange because I actually read cookbooks (there are many other reasons as well, but ...).  Yes, I actually read them.  Not every single recipe, but the intros and all of the sidebars.  That's really where the actual learning happens.  So, if you buy any of these books, sit down and read it.  Seriously.

Steven Raichlen

First and foremost, if you're new to live fire cooking, or if you think you know what you're doing, or if you actually know what you're doing, Steve Raichlen is the man to learn from.  You can't go wrong with any of Steve's cookbooks.  There are other good books out there, but I've never gone wrong with one of Steve's recipes.  How To Grill is one of the best books out there for how to grill pretty much anything.  Step by step pictures and instructions, you can't go wrong.  BBQ USA is the result of Steve's travels around the USA and collecting recipes from all over our great country.  It will introduce you to new flavors and techniques you haven't tried before.  BBQ Bible is the first book I bought and is the result of Steve's world travels.  If you want to take your grilling to the next level and make stuff most people haven't had, this is the book.

(Me, Steve Raichlen)

Ted Reader

Ted is Canada's answer to Steve and then some some.  This guy is so far out of the box.  When you're ready to throw the rules out the window and go crazy, buy Ted's books.  King of the Q's Blue Plate BBQ has a wide variety of things.  Napolean's Everyday Gourmet Grilling is a little more "normal" but has some fantastic recipes (including the best grilled dessert ever).  The Art of Plank Grilling will take your plank grilling to places you never thought possible (think cedar planked lasagna).  

Hudson's On The Bend

In that same vein, there is a restaurant in Austin, Texas called called Hudson's on the Bend.  I had the best meal of my life in that place.  Their cookbook is not like most other restaurants where you get recipes for things that aren't on the menu.  In this one they lay it all out there.  Can't recommend it highly enough.  Especially if you're looking for something a little different (or a lot different).  Cooking Fearlessly was their first book and Fired Up!: More Adventures & Recipes from Hudson's on the Bend is the second one.  Between the two, I like the first one the best.  It has my all time favorite - watermelon injected pork tenderloin.  Which, believe it or not, I never actually took pictures of.  I guess I'll just have to make it again. 

Classes

Find some barbecue classes in your area and take them.  If you're in the Twin Cities, Byerly's occasionally offers them and there are others as summer arrives.  Even if you know how to do this stuff, they're still fun (and sometimes you can teach the instructor a thing or two).

Web Sites

There are a lot of web sites from restaurants, Q teams, and just people like me out there.  Look for them.  It's fun.  Some people are really good.  Some, well, not so good.  There are also several forums out there.  Most of them suck.  Stay away from the newsgroups.  Mostly just people telling each other how "there a moron" (yes, that's an actual quote).  However, the forum on Steve Raichlen's site is definitely worth your time.  The people are great.  It's moderated and they don't allow any crap.  The talk stays centered around barbecue (for the most part).  People are nice even to the newbies.  Highly recommended.

Gas vs. Charcoal

It depends on what you want your food to taste like.  If you don't care if it tastes like it came from your stove, use gas.  If you want it to taste like you cooked it over a real fire, use charcoal.  "Oh, but gas is quicker and I hate the mess".  Cry someplace else.  Suck it up, buy a charcoal chimney and a shop vac and grill like you care.