you have to learn the basic electronic theory first..
but anyway, there are a lot hobby electronic circuit all around, you want play around with that first, but take your own initiative to learn how it actually work.
also, pic microcontroller is budget microcontroller for begining to learn programming and controlling.
if you're talking about more advance designing, this work will help. rather than talking about all electronic theory, it explain in practical electronic design, what is better circuit design also theoritically they are the same.
"the art of electronic"