ou could also just read all of the vast perl manual pages; let it settle, rumiate; re-read; then start programming (that's purportedly the way Abigail did it)

That's also the way I did it, but with lots of testing with snippets along the way. Although way back then there was only 1 perl manpage and it stretched to over 100 pages of 11x14. Simpler times. Possibly the split into the multiple manpages has produced an even steeper initial learning curve which eventually becomes more flat but fewer will be encouraged to reach that gentle upland. I wouldn't encourage learning from the perl manpages today.