But something you can't learn from a book... As you're testing software, try to realize/understand the 'root cause' of the defects you find. This is something that just seems to come together over time. I guess the main point is to go beyond 'just reporting a defect'. As you do this more and more you get a better feel for what kinds of things typically cause software problems and can lead to a better insight into development and QA overall.
Haven't seen or read too many books on automation. The best thing to do is take coding/OO classes AND write alot of code...every chance you get (get to the point where coding is just the 'natural' thing to do).
I would read Humphrey (sp) and Grady after you feel you have a good understanding of testing concepts. Humphrey (sp) mostly gets into how QA fits into the 'grand scheme' of product quality and looks alot at prevention (you really need to have a good 'feel' for development, as well as QA). Grady is focused on metrics and (what I call) characterizing product quality. These are important, but I guess I feel that understanding testing methods/concepts should really come first.