This is not exactly easy for me, as I'm the type who hardly ever reads manuals. Everytime I get a new PDA or phone, I just go right ahead and use it. I only start flipping through the manual when I find myself unable to figure out something on my own.
I do not find the Nikon D40's manual to be very user-friendly. But the very least that you and I can do is to get familiarised with its knobs and buttons, so that we know what people are talking about when they mention "multi-selector" or "mode dial", for instance.
multi-selector
mode dial
So read, read, read but by all means, go out and shoot, shoot, shoot, even if you're not done reading the manual yet.
Adorama.com also has a guided tour on the D40 here. A little shortcut, if you're not very fond of reading manuals :P
