Advice to a beginner

Assuming you're playing real money, and low limit HE, as opposed to microblinds NL, then I would advise the book for you is Winning Low Limit Hold 'em by Lee Jones.
There are two conflicting bits of advice on this thread about your playing 30% of openers. One guy says tighen up, the other guy says you're too tight.
I think you're playing too many hands, but there is validity to the get looser theory, but I wouldn't recommend it for now: You'll have too much variance, which is what you say want to avoid.
Play better starters. That's a great way to reduce your variance. In limit, you need position, and you need to stop chasing: From now on, do not chase any flush or straight draw that you don't have 4 cards on the flop... no gutshots, either.
Do not enter a pot with two cards just because they're sooted. Consider all your pockets unsuited, and judge your entry into the pot on that basis.
No help on flop, GET OUT.
Learn odds. Master odds. Do not progress any farther (increasing limits) until you know odds inside and out.
Did I mention Lee Jones? Stop playing, go to Borders and buy the book. It's an easier read than Sklansky. Once you're done with that, read Sklansky.
Oh, if you have a bunch of people in the pot ahead of you, and you have low sooted connectors, you have pot odds to play, but of course, now you need position. It's all in Lee's book.