Hey TTewell,

Welcome to EH-Net.

As for where to start, there are several good threads pinned at the top of the Network Pen Testing Board.

As for book recommendations for your thoughts below, try:

Linux Command Line and Shell Scripting Bible

As for programming, I just found a great new book. I haven't read it yet, but I absolutely love the concept. It's written by Warren Sande, an Electronic Systems Engineer who wanted to teach his son to program. He uses Python and actually lists his son as a co-author. I'm about to post a new thread with info on it. In the meantime...

Hello World!
Computer Programming for Kids and Other Beginners

Hope this helps,
Don

Maybe if it was cutting-edge stuff that you needed to find, then I would say you're correct. But for a intro book on hacking, 2.5 years old is not that bad at all. And for approx. $13 - 16 on Amazon, you can't go wrong.

I would also recommend Ed's book, Counter Hack Reloaded. It is also a little older, but Ed has a way of taking you from 0 - 60 in under 4 seconds without the effects of inertia pushing your face back in your chair. He even explains the basics of Linux and Windows before blowing your mind with multiple real-world examples. Highly recommended. You can see a sample chapter right here on EH-Net. It's a little more expensive, but it's well worth it.

If you get through all of the book recommendations above plus another on more advanced programming, then you'll probably be ready to jump into something like Hacking: The Art of Exploitation (See Ryan Linn's review).

All this and some practice in your own lab, and in about a year, you'll be well on your way to setting a solid foundation. 

Hope that helps,
Don