I've been using AutoCAD in one configuration or another for the last 15 years or so.  I agree wholeheartedly that it's a bitch coming out of the gate, but once you're rolling you wonder how you ever got along without it.  Learning the keystroke shortcuts is paramount (IMHO) to getting efficient with it... having come through the pre-DOS days into the current point & click universe had to help a lot with that aspect of it for me.  I don't remember the name of the book or author that helped me climb the ladder to Acad 6 or 7, but it utilized a specific project to step you through the learning curve by starting out with fundamentals and working up to the completed drawing.  I have to believe that there are still self-help books out there that take a similar approach and are worth their weight in gold.  Good luck with it.