The usual set:
[url=http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/ ]Sun's basic Java tutorial[/url]
[url=http://java.sun.com/learning/new2java/index.html ]Sun's New To Java Center[/url]. Includes an overview of what Java is, instructions for setting up Java, an intro to programming (that includes links to the above tutorial or to parts of it), quizzes, a list of resources, and info on certification and courses.
[url=http://javaalmanac.com ]http://javaalmanac.com [/url]. A couple dozen code examples that supplement [url=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0201752808?v=glance ]The Java Developers Almanac[/url].
[url=http://www.jguru.com ]jGuru[/url]. A general Java resource site. Includes FAQs, forums, courses, more.
[url=http://www.javaranch.com ]JavaRanch[/url]. To quote the tagline on their homepage: "a friendly place for Java greenhorns." FAQs, forums (moderated, I believe), sample code, all kinds of goodies for newbies. From what I've heard, they live up to the "friendly" claim.
Bruce Eckel's [url=http://mindview.net/Books/DownloadSites ]Thinking in Java[/url] (Available online.)
Joshua Bloch's [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/Author=Bloch,%20Josh ]Effective Java[/url]
Bert Bates and Kathy Sierra's [url=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0596004656?v=glance ]Head First Java[/url].
James Gosling's [url=http://www.bookpool.com/sm/0321349806 ]The Java Programming Language[/url]. Gosling is
the creator of Java. It doesn't get much more authoritative than this.
But do you know how to programme already? Before starting programming (Pascal, C), I had to work with algorithmics, some times peoples jump over this step, which is the really important brick here... once you dominate it, java is just like any other tool, in this case however they havent invented a better one ;)
MeTitus