www.apache.org
is the apache web server site, and will work on your computer, under almost all platforms. if you are in windows, though, i've heard indigoperl is good, as it comes with perl and apache already set up, although it may not be the most current version:
www.indigostar.com/indigoperl.htm
you're right that to use it powerfully will require some learning, both about the internal workings of apache and the specifics of mod_perl. i don't know of any good books, though. i'm still learning myself, mostly from the perldocs on apache and mod perl, with help from my colleages (did i spell that right? oh well, make it friends.)
once you get apache, you'll have to configure the http.conf file, in it's conf directory, i think, in order to get it to run. the file has good instructions in it for all the basics required to get it to run. just read it from top to bottom.
good luck, it really is pretty cool. "If you think you're too small to make a difference, try spending a night in a closed tent with a mosquito."
