"How Linux works
I remember reading this book way back in 2016 and it helped me understand quite a bit what makes Linux click together:
However, only reading is not a good exercise as actually getting your hands dirty, and implementing, changing and operating stuff. This means that a follow-up exercise of sorts should happen later... maybe with Alpine or even Linux From Scratch! I might even re-read the whole book.
(Onion link is Tor-only)