[BJanecke]

A bit more lightweight version of that is https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/installation_guide The first time I tried to install arch I had many aha! moments

[zshrdlu]

Similarly, the Gentoo Installation Handbook: https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Handbook:AMD64

[watersb]

Gentoo taught me Linux. The Handbooks are really good.

I think that much of early Gentoo ideas - the OpenRC init system, the ports system, the handbooks - were inspired by BSD traditions. OpenBSD and FreeBSD each have good documentation. Working through the FreeBSD handbook, and then study of McKusik's BSD Book [0], are a good way to get another perspective if you get into this sort of thing.

[0] http://www.worldcat.org/title/design-and-implementation-of-t...