Ablan's book is a GREAT reference. But you should DEFINATELY have a grasp of the tools. The User manual PDF is also good, but doesnt give you much of a place to start.
A cheaper alternative, I would also recommend The visual Quickstart guide to LW 7.5 by peachpit press. It will give you a pretty good introduction to all the basics, (polygon building, UV maps, particles, animation) and will only set you back $20
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846