Reddit reviews FPGA Prototyping by Verilog Examples: Xilinx Spartan-3 Version

Bebop to Boolean Boogie is pretty good. Very easy and fun book to read. Covers a ton of great entry level topics.

https://www.amazon.com/Bebop-Boolean-Boogie-Unconventional-Electronics/dp/1856175073/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=bebop+to+boolean+boogie&qid=1573568129&sr=8-1

Then move towards something more FPGA specific like

https://www.amazon.com/FPGA-Prototyping-Verilog-Examples-Spartan-3/dp/0470185325/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=fpga+verilog+examples&qid=1573568177&sr=8-2

Knowing C will probably hurt you more than help you. Forget what you know about C when learning Verilog. You need to approach learning Verilog in a different manner. Verilog is not another top-down procedural language expressing instructions one after another. There are some general programming tenets that still hold true, and attention to detail in regards to syntax is important. But forget about line-by-line procedural execution because that's not how these hardware description languages work. You need to learn DIGITAL DESIGN before you learn Verilog....

EDIT: for clarity and to tighten up my thoughts.

No, this would be a completely unsuitable book to learn from. It's a collection of academic papers, not an instructional text.

I'd personally recommend FPGA Prototyping by Verilog Examples (or the equivalent VHDL version). It's an older book, but still a pretty good introduction.

VHDL was what I first was exposed to. I was initially reluctant to switch to Verilog because it is a lot less verbose and less strict. The less strict part can cause issues when you make assumptions and don't verify what the synthesis tools produce. Now I prefer Verilog and feel I am able to create faster with Verilog.

Altera, Xilinx, Microsemi, or Lattice all offer free software tools you can download. Get yourself an evaluation board then read related documentation for the tools and particular FPGA used on the board.

Here are my book suggestions.

Advanced Chip Design, Practical Examples in Verilog [Paperback]
http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Design-Practical-Examples-Verilog/dp/1482593335/
Cheap book that covers a lot of material from a practicing engineer.

Digital Design and Computer Architecture, Second Edition
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Design-Computer-Architecture-Second/dp/0123944244/
This book covers Digital Design, Computer Architecture, VHDL, and Verilog.

Embedded SoPC Design with Nios II Processor and Verilog Examples

http://www.amazon.com/Embedded-Design-Processor-Verilog-Examples/dp/1118011031/

This book covers a some verilog and then moves on into Altera SOPC builder.

FPGA Prototyping By VHDL or Verilog Examples: Xilinx Spartan-3 Version
http://www.amazon.com/FPGA-Prototyping-VHDL-Examples-Spartan-3/dp/0470185317/

http://www.amazon.com/FPGA-Prototyping-Verilog-Examples-Spartan-3/dp/0470185325/

this one

Buy a book on Verilog or VHDL along with a Spartan 3 dev board and work through the examples over the holidays. If it totally excites you (as it does me) then you’ll know! I did just this with this book, which I love:

https://www.amazon.com/FPGA-Prototyping-Verilog-Examples-Spartan-3/dp/0470185325

Also there’s a VHDL book from the same author with the same material, just VHDL examples

http://valentfx.com/

Either the LOGi-Pi or the LOGi-Bone, with the LOGi-EDU package.

The EDU package is built to allow you to follow the examples in either one of these books:

http://www.amazon.com/FPGA-Prototyping-Verilog-Examples-Spartan-3/dp/0470185325/

http://www.amazon.com/FPGA-Prototyping-VHDL-Examples-Spartan-3/dp/0470185317/

There's also a bunch of demos on their wiki.

Step 1: Get an FPGA board (I believe Digilent has one for 50$ if you are a student)

Step 2: If you want to use Verilog, get Palnitkar's book for the language and this book for practical examples using Spartan 3(E)

Step 3: Get cracking.

Step 4: Profit???