Reddit mentions of The Complete Sailor: Learning the Art of Sailing

I think this is possibly the best: The Complete Sailor. Cleanly written, beautifully illustrated, and I learn something new every time I open it.

Btw, professional lessons are a relatively new invention. People have been learning to sail from their friends and neighbors for thousands of years, and all of the sailors I know are happy to pass that knowledge along. You might be better off, and save a ton of money, by joining a sailing club. Plus that way once you have a boat you'll have a group of peers to crew with you, go on cruises together, etc.

I really like David Seidman's The Complete Sailor - it's really well-structured and easy to read.

Knot books:
This book is great for the basic, every day kind of knots. I'd suggest this one to get the basics down.
If you have a lot of time/money/desire to learn knots, this is the knot bible. It is awesome. I found a used copy in good condition for cheap, so if you have a used bookstore, I'd suggest poking around in there for a copy. This book is HUGE (600+ pages) and incredible. However, it is somewhat excessive, with a lot of knots you'll probably never use.
As for sailing books, I like this one for explaining the basics. It not only explains how to do certain maneuvers, but why. The example on proas tacking is one of my favorites.