I have Quilting 101 - A Beginners Guide. I like that book a lot. Here a link to the amazon page:
http://www.amazon.com/Quilting-101-b...s=How+to+Quilt
For general sewing, Simplicity,, Martha Stewart, and Better Homes and Gardens have beginner sewing books out. You can also check out Youtube videos which are wonderful. Crafty Gemini on Youtube will teach you how to insert a zipper and how to make french seams. You can learn a lot by making the quick projects that are done in a 10 minute tutorial. Lots of wonderful resources on the internet.