I got my license a few months ago. There are active repeater nets in my area, and several clubs. There's a whole variety of activities to do: DXing (trying to achieve long distance contacts), building and testing radio kits, contesting, and just generally talking to people.

As far as guides, we'd need to know what you're interested in. The ARRL handbook is a huge technical reference, but it's actually quite sparse in terms of setting up a station and making contacts. Although that's understandable, the process is different for many radios and you're better off reading the transceiver's manual