Brad Mallard wrote:
Can anyone recommend good starter books for someone wanting to build a plane
from scratch? FAA requirements, Materials, Load calculations... that sort of
thing.

Not to plug a local, but Ron Wantajja's book is a realistic all-round
look at homebuilding, available new and used, maybe at your local
library.

Lots of free info on the net too, sometimes worth what you paid for
it, sometimes worth a lot more.