http://www.amazon.com/Mathematics-Elementary-Approach-Ideas-...

> Covering everything from natural numbers and the number system to geometrical constructions and projective geometry, from topology and calculus to matters of principle and the Continuum Hypothesis, this fascinating survey allows readers to delve into mathematics as an organic whole rather than an empty drill in problem solving.

I find the book to be a great introduction to topics that are (actually) explored at the upper division level. The vast majority of what I've learned from lower division mathematics courses was a list of methods rather than understanding (which is understandable as it's really geared for engineers, who arguably care more about results rather than a deep understanding), with the exception of linear algebra and perhaps calculus 1.

I think the first thing you need to do is actually learn to like math. If you really enjoy doing math stuff, if you can see the beauty in it, then you can learn it from the shittiest of sources. I used to suck at math in high school, but after joining a prep course I started liking it and one year later I was teaching it to other people.

Suppose a friend of yours wanted to learn how to code, but he keeps telling you how he hates it. You can give him the best book on the XYZ language written by the most awesome hacker in the world, show him some more friendly resources like CodeSchool or whatever but it won't work. Have you ever heard of a programmer who doesn't like to code?

My two cents!