With regards to Java itself, definitely check out Bruce Eckel's Thinking in Java (http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Java-Edition-Bruce-Eckel/dp/0...). The 4th edition is the most current. However, previous ones are available for free here: http://www.mindviewinc.com/Books/downloads.html.

Another good introductory text is Head First Java (http://www.amazon.com/Head-First-Java-2nd-Edition/dp/0596009...).

In terms of frameworks, I would recommend checking out Play! (http://www.playframework.org/) for web applications. Spring is a bit more enterprise-y, it is also a good option (http://www.springsource.com/).

I love the Head first series books. Even though I already had experience with other languages when I started, Head First Java explained things clearly and enjoyably! http://amzn.to/ybDBJv

read the book "Java Head First" from OReilly http://www.amazon.de/Head-First-Java-Bert-Bates/dp/059600920... absolutely brilliant and funny at the same time!

why java? because you have to learn the basics. So better learn the pain-in-the-ass-way as your program basics, then you will understand why ruby is better ;) because if you learn ruby first, you dont know why it is better than other program languages.