May I suggest you to take a look at the book Make: Electronics: Learning Through Discovery by Charles Platt? I have read the preview available at amazon (looks like the Kindle Book preview shows you more content than paperback preview) and it seems to be a great hands-on book. It is also really well rated.
If tou like to blow up/destroy things, the chapter available in preview makes you destroy a alcaline battery, a fuse, a led and explains the reason they "break" while providing some fundamental theory in really simple terms.
Hope it helps with the fundamentals you are looking to keep.
Thank you and Happy Hollidays too!