what should I read to learn how to make a simple website

Do you plan to do a lot more web design, or is this more likely to be a 'one off' site?

If you are planning to get into the design aspect, you'd be better off getting a couple of books on HTML and CSS to begin with, just so you can learn the code that makes up a basic web page.

If you're not really interested in all that and just want to produce a nice website with the minimum of fuss, then I'd get Rapidweaver, which is an easy to use app.

 

HTML For Dummies

And I taught myself HTML back in the day using:
http://vzone.virgin.net/sizzling.jalfrezi/iniframe.htm

(I'm an HTML specialist, amongst other things, where I work)

 

Just use iWeb.


Ok, if you want something better, I guess Rapidweaver. I don't use either one, but have heard that both are easy as hell to use.