I'll agree that hands on is #1 and books are on the dry side but on the other hand very seldom do you get the depth and wealth of information you require out of a few videos. On the other hand the rate which you learn from videos is MUCH faster and generally directed at the core important topics. Here's the way I do it:
Get the book.
Get the hands on parts.
Get a simulator.
Read the book one topic at a time (1-4 pages).
Pull up internet sources/videos .
Use simulator.
Recreate with parts.
