This is very country specific but when I started investing I read a book by the motley fool crew "The Motley Fool UK Investment Guide" which gave me the basics

This is very country specific but when I started investing I read a book by the motley fool crew "The Motley Fool UK Investment Guide" which gave me the basics - think they also do a US version. For the UK the Daily Telegraph has a good business section, I also read the investors chronicle and the money observer. Your first priority should be building up an emergency fund though