Bonsai techniques I & II by John Naka are THE best books to get. They are kind of hard to find, but totally worth it.

Buy these two books, tools & equipment, and lots plant material to experiment on and have a blast.

These are not coffee table books, get those from the library to look at. These books are for learning how to actually DO bonsai. Classics.

Don't buy from amazon as you will overpay. If you search around, you should be able to find them for about $50 each.

Step 2, visit a local club and join it. Most clubs meet at least monthly and usually have raffles or door prizes where newbies can pick up plants for cheap or free. You'll also meet folks who LOVE Bonsai and can get you on the right path. You can probably find a local club on the internet or the local newspaper.