Bread can be very simple, or very complex. One can spend 3 days prefermenting the dough, buying ovens which jet steam in order for that perfect crispy french or italian crust... or just throw the ingredients in a bread machine in 5 minutes and walk away.
There are some EXCELLENT bread books out there... one trick, is to always punch and proof (let it rise to double it's size, punch it down, let it rise again, punch it down) twice.
My father is the 3 day per batch kind of baker. His bread is so good, that I'm actually incapable of making my own. I've been helping him since I was a child, and it's just a time investment that I don't make. <grin> Although I'll take his whenever he makes extra! (He makes over 70 different kinds of bread, a dozen on a regular basis, the rest as the mood strikes or one of us asks for a special recipe.) So instead, because bread up here is $4-$6 a loaf, heck, even wonderbread is $2-$3 I buy mine from a local bakery in their day old section. $1 instead of $6.
King Arthur Flour is his/my favorite flour company. Phenom flour. Failing that Whole Foods has a grinder you can use yourself.
Baking is a science (cooking an art), so get ready to experiment!!! And have fun! It's a great hobby.
Oh. And #1 trick??? Invest in a very good breadknife. One that slices through like a hot knife through butter. I recommend Wustoff or Henkles both very highly.