Question:

What genealogy books would you recommend for someone new to family history research?

Unpuzzling Your Past by Emily Anne Croom and it's companion The Unpuzzling Your Past Workbook are a great start. The forms in the 2nd book are clear, and easy to use. As someone who started out doing long distance genealogy, Christine Crawford-Oppenheimer's book, Long-Distance Genealogy, provided basics in research as well as where to write. It's a bit dated now because some of the web addresses have changed, but the information is still sound.
Source citation is imperative to modern genealogy. Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills is THE resource for source citation, according to some. I haven't seen a copy yet. I do own her previous book Evidence! Citation and Analysis for the Famiy Historian and a quick sheet on citing electronic sources. They provide models and examples for most sources genealogists encounter. Family Tree Legacies: Preserving Memories Throughout Time by the Editors of Family Tree Magazine looks like a nice gift for the tech savy beginner.
If you're looking for books for yourself, check out the offerings of your library. A good rule of thumb is if you check it out 3 times, it might be worthwhile for you to buy.

-Aloha