Reddit reviews Stage Lighting Handbook

http://www.amazon.ca/Stage-Lighting-Handbook-Francis-Reid/dp/087830147X

Or pretty much this page:
http://www.onstagelighting.co.uk/#article/14

Sorry for formatting, on my cell.

A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting-http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415812003/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Stage Lighting Handbok-
http://www.amazon.com/Stage-Lighting-Handbook-Francis-Reid/dp/087830147X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407560871&sr=1-2&keywords=stage+lighting

The Backstage Handbook (has the basics on instruments, cable, etc.)-
http://www.amazon.com/Backstage-Handbook-Illustrated-Technical-Information/dp/0911747397/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407560935&sr=1-5&keywords=stage+lighting

The Stage Lighting Handbook

It all depends on what kind of design you want to get into? Concert/music design is totally different than theatrical, even within theatre musicals and plays often have different design principals.
I'd check out Steve Shelly's book https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Guide-Stage-Lighting-Third/dp/0415812003/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0415812003&pd_rd_r=QMEV3MMX5JMSDAZPBNNT&pd_rd_w=uh8vJ&pd_rd_wg=jKgB8&psc=1&refRID=QMEV3MMX5JMSDAZPBNNT
as well as this one. https://www.amazon.com/Stage-Lighting-Handbook-Francis-Reid/dp/087830147X/ref=pd_sim_14_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=087830147X&pd_rd_r=YG5RCJMEPDWJ7E98CBCZ&pd_rd_w=QJmxz&pd_rd_wg=ZQ1Dr&psc=1&refRID=YG5RCJMEPDWJ7E98CBCZ

My biggest suggestion for someone who's just getting started is to not buy any equipment. Equipment is mostly cheap to rent, a PAR can is $3 or $4 a unit, and it's someone else's problem to fix it and buy lamps for it. You're not going to be able to afford quality gear, so you'll end up with cheap Chinese crap that's just going to disappoint you. The other thing to remember is that intelligent lighting is relatively new to lighting, lots of fantastic shows were lit without anything fancy. It's far better to master your color and angle work then get in to using movers than it is to just start throwing strobes everywhere and pray that it works. Learning to make choices and which choices are stronger than others will get you a lot further in life than being able to spit out flash and trash like everyone else can.