the in easy steps series are good, I learned php and javascript from it. I think they do python and perl, I know they do xml.
the only good book for coldfusion that im aware of is
http://www.amazon.com/Macromedia-Col...e=UTF8&s=books
just know that CF is hard to find work for, not many use it. but when you will find work, it makes easily twice what you can with php, thats why im learning it.