[mcpherrinm]

A Lisp dialect is surely the right choice if you are new to functional programming. The language itself is very simple, so it won't get in your way as much as some alternatives.

I recommend starting with racket and the free textbook "how to design programs" especially if you are not comfortable with recursion. It is pretty introductory, so you may be able to plow through the exercises quickly.

MIT's classic SICP is another great starting point, especially if you have an adequate academic background.