I thought stockcharts was owned by Murphy? Maybe it's because he's plastered all over their site
I personally thought
The Visual Investor was an easy book to read when I was new. But to each their own.
One guy who hasn't been mentioned and I think should, is O'Neil. While not many of us trade stocks, I think he has a lot of good stuff for beginners. That's basically how I started when I got serious a few years ago. While I don't think you should go out and sign up for Investors Business Daily, I do think his books do a good job of explaining charts in a basic form. Like Db said, you need a solid understanding of supply and demand first.
Everyone has their own journey and starts and ends in different places. Just make sure you stick to what works for you. Just because we recommend something doesn't mean it will work for you, thats for you to find out on your own.