Are there books available to help a linux newbie prep for a career using linux?
 

I'm a recent convert from windows to linux and I'm fascinated by the possibilities of GNU/linux/open source/free software. I've always been interested in computers but windows. . .anyway, linux has opened up to me a philosophical side of networking/programming. In any case, I'm completely on board now and desire to get into programming and/or system administration. Is it possible for someone who has little practical experience on the command line to get into these entirely by self-study. I am self-motivated and will complete any training I need as soon as possible, but currently lack the finances necessary for an actual red hat certification course, etc. If anyone would be so kind as to offer their suggestions for books, or general topic materials to study (command line / scripting, programming languages, etc.) I would be most appreciative. If formal training is needed, I would also appreciate it if anyone could suggest an education path.

Also, as an aside, I would like to ask the linux community what careers / businesses are possible with these certifications? Thank you so much in advance!

I might be wrong but I think most members here achieved their proficiency by self-study.
Some suggestions as to study materials:
http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz
http://tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/

Have fun

A good first step is to spend lots of time on the forums and see what kind of questions people are asking. Answer the questions you can answer, learn from the questions you can't answer.

An intermediate step is to learn about virtualization. Create virtual machine installs of Debian, CentOS, and Slackware (for starters). Build a network between all these virtual machines. Learn about file sharing, web services, backups, security, etc. If you have more than one computer, set up a physical network, too.

All of the information you need is out there on the web. Linux is very well documented! If you're looking for an actual physical book geared toward passing an exam, Michael Jang's Red Hat prep guide is highly regarded.

Also don't neglect your Windows skills! Don't limit yourself to just Linux administration, learn about Windows stuff too. Get your Linux and Windows machines talking to each other.

A final thought, most employers aren't interested in a list of books you read. Times are tough even for experienced job-seekers. A little experience is better than no experience. Look for open-source projects that need volunteers. Offer your services to schools, social service, small business. Look for short-term, easy projects on Craigslist, Elance, Odesk, etc. Employers want to hear "This is what I've DONE in the past, this is what I can DO for you in the future!"

Good luck, check back in often and let us know how it's going! :)

Hey thanks for all the input. I'm reading the links you provided Sycamorex. Awesome! Also, I'm glad to hear that people are more interested in what people are doing vs. what piece of paper they can produce. I can live with that! I'll make sure to brush up on my windows skills also. Makes sense that with its popularity you'd need to know how to interface with it.

Thanks again everyone!

I highly recommend this book: http://amzn.to/qt2g7t
Its the newest edition for RHEL6 and makes a great desk reference. Its also great study guide for the RHCSA and RHCE exams.