I hear you loud and clear, Dana!

While it's certainly possibly to follow a low carb lifestyle without having read much about it (using word of mouth and the internet), there really is no substitute for reading the book, at least for the plan that you've chosen, and perhaps several more just to gain a good, rounded understanding of what low carb is and how it works as well as how it can benefit you in the long run.
With all the posts that I have read here on the forum, it seems to me that those who are must successful at sticking with this and making it a true lifestyle change and not just a temporary diet are those who have done their homework. As I've been known to say before, most sensible people wouldn't start out on a journey to a place they've never been before without a map or at least some good directions. Low carbing is no different and the book is your map and directions.

As the saying goes, "Nothing worth having comes without effort."