I think the best way to learn any new skill is from hands-on experience alongside a good teacher; so if you have a friend or relative who's handy don't be afraid to ask questions or be the "gofor" for a Saturday morning- you could learn a lot, improve your confidence and hopefully save yourself a few bob down the road. Good technical books are great, especially as an aid to planning larger projects but some of the more basic books tend to gloss over important details that, maybe, aren't all that obvious to the novice. The best books I've come across (for more specialist building and woodwork info though) are those published by Taunton in the USA. For someone who just want's to do basic DIY better I think these are the basic skills that one needs to work on:
1. How to measure and cut timber and sheet materials to size squarely and accurately, using a handsaw.
2. How to use a basic hand plane to take fine shavings; how to pare with chisels.
3. How to drive a nail squarely without splitting the timber!
4. How to drive a screw squarely without rounding the head.
5. How to use a spirit level, square and tape measure properly.
Once you've mastered those basic skills you can pretty much handle most everyday DIY stuff. The biggest mistake people make is focussing on power tools and gizmos- pros use power tools to speed up the task or occasionally to achieve a better finish, but most smaller jobs can be easily achieved with a minimum of powertools.