I have it and it's not helping me a lot as a beginner. Maybe there should be something between the "paint by the number" and "get a master in electronic" levels.
“Make: Electronics” by Charles Platt and "Practical Electronics for Inventors" are both good practical recommendations. What to prefer really depends on your background. I'd add "Electronic Devices" by Thomas L. Floyd if you prefer more academic/systematic approach.
I read Electronics for Inventors, and have even pushed myself through respectable chunks of AoE, but Platt’s book really helped to drive home some concepts and spans a mere 350 pages.
You’re right: AoE is a rough sled as a brand new electronics learner.
I use AoE as a reference, but I’ve read full chapters from time to time when I’ve worked on relevant projects. I’ve never done an end to end read. Maybe I will when I retire lol.
I want to set aside time to read chapter 5 at some point. The precision electronics chapter is supposed to be bomb. Culminates in a design review of the autoranging circuit of one of the common handheld DMMs.
I shudder to think what will happen if youtube closes or radically changes operation. It will be even worse than burning the library of alexandria