The best advice - learn C *first*. A good first programming exercise - write an editor in C.

Why C first? Because then you will be able to understand the good parts of C++, while you fume and sputter and tear your hair about the awful parts. You will also be in a position to understand Objective C.

I don't know any good books on C++. BS's books are only readable if you already know what's going on. The "C++ Primer" and its ilk are uniformly awful.

Also - AFAIK gcc still lags behind in having a standard (or even usable) C++ environment (whatever that is). Likewise, the Windows C++ world is not much about C++ in itself, rather, programming with Microsoft's classes. That will just be confusing.

I think Borland has a free version of BC++ (5.5?) without the integrated environment. That would be a good place to start.