Can anyone direct me to a good source of general info about bbqing with charcoal? I was just given a selfstarting weber charcoal bbq.

There was an excellent grilling primer here on food52 earlier this grilling season. Have you checked into that?

I'd also like to cast a vote for Steve Raichlen. I used his Barbecue USA to hone my basic skills.

Steven Raichlen's books are great sources and his "How to Grill" is excellent for beginners. Also Barton Seaver's "Where There's Smoke"

Royal Oak is the lump charcoal we use. Seems to be the most common. Makes a huge difference.
Love grilling!
Cheers
irina

THE BARBECUE! BIBLE by Steve Raichlen is just what the name suggests. SEVEN FIRES (I can't remember the author) describes the Argentine methods---and they are the absolute masters at cooking over wood.
Weber also has a number of publications of their own so you might want to check their website.
Whichever source you select be sure to use real lump charcoal, sometimes called cowboy charcoal. You can combine that with other woods for additional flavor e.g. hickory, cherry even wine barrel staves.

I've found this website to be of great value. The recipes are top-notch and there is lots of discussion on technique.
http://www.amazingribs.com/index.html