This one's easy to answer...

For ppm, try this:

C:\> ppm
ppm> set repository kobes http://theoryx5.uwinnipeg.ca/ppmpackages
ppm> set save
ppm> install XML::LibXML
[download]

Randy Kobe's stuff rocks. He's got LibXML and LibXSLT, and XML::XPath, and AxKit and all sorts of other goodies.

As far as books are concerned, there will be something soon, but not from me. And only for certain values of "soon".