Baking bread is like learning to ride a bicycle. It takes lots of practice to get good at it. There is no substitute for experience when it comes to getting the feel of how a loaf should be when it's risen enough, when it's moist enough, etc. I know of no cooking/baking experience where you can follow a recipe to the letter and end up with a hockey puck!
If you have never baked bread before, I urge you to sign up for a bread baking class at a local avocational cooking school (or perhaps community college). You will be guided along, and have a chance to learn a few techniques, as well. And start with a simple bread. THEN read Peter's book!
Thee are tons of whole grain recipes on the interweb and many excellent cookbooks that cover this topic. Why not do a search of some good food sites for a few recipes and give 'em a try?
I agree wholeheartedly. Peter Reinhart is the bread god. He explains the logical and practical reasons for his soakers, and also the properties of many grains available. It is one of his more challenging books to use, so it would be well worth sitting down with a cup of tea (or a glass of iced!) and simply reading much of it before starting in on his recipes. Ultimately, you'll be glad you made the investment in both the book and time; it's a resource that will keep you in great bread for a long time.
I would recommend picking up Peter Reinhardt's "Whole Grain Breads" which goes into the techniques in detail. In short, your best bet is likely to make a mash (heating the whole wheat flour with water and either baking or simmering it for a while to break down the grain) and/or a sponge (soaking the whole wheat flour in water overnight).
Getting good results with 100% whole wheat bread takes a lot of time (usually 2+ days, elapsed) & understanding the ingredients. Reinhardt's book does a great job of explaining what's going on.
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If you have never baked bread before, I urge you to sign up for a bread baking class at a local avocational cooking school (or perhaps community college). You will be guided along, and have a chance to learn a few techniques, as well. And start with a simple bread. THEN read Peter's book!
Getting good results with 100% whole wheat bread takes a lot of time (usually 2+ days, elapsed) & understanding the ingredients. Reinhardt's book does a great job of explaining what's going on.