How did you learn to weld?

I am kinda fed up with not being able to find a bodyshop that either won't do what they say they will or charges my first born along with my dominant arm. So it is time to learn to weld, among other things. Any good books or material out there to help with the welding end of things? I want to start on my Dart GTS in the next month and want to do the welding first, then I will worry about dent removal and straighening. Then prep work and paint... Mechanical stuff is simple to me, so that isn't a problem. But body work is like reading Japanese to me.
So thanks in advance for any help you can give.