2 excellent reads are "Flight of the Intruder" and a follow up called "The Intruders" written by Stephen Coonts - both available at Amazon etc. The author was an Intruder pilot in the USN and although these are works of fiction they contain passages about naval aviation which reflect his experience there. He does a good job of weaving technical explanations into cracking storys. (It was my first introduction to "Call the Ball")

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GRAVITY - not just a good idea, it's the law!

Snatchforce

I watched that movie " Flight of the Intruder " and it was nowhere good as the book itself ( different story line in some parts and scenes not in the book - as always is on some ) but would you know if the Intruder really stalls at 180kts ?

Jane’s ‘At The Controls – F/A18 Hornet’ (sorry, don’t have an ISBN handy) is an excellent quick-reference book for those interested in carrier ops.

HP

Does anyone remember that series with Jeremy Clarkson, mean machines I think? He spent some time on a US carrier, the programme was brilliant and will no doubt be repeated, they usually are.

Sim

And seeing as you are all 'puter wizards as well as gun pilots, you might like to have a 'simulated' try at 'trapping' yourself.
There are quite a few PC flight sims that provide quite realistic carrier ops including teh 'meatball', AOA indexers etc... not to mention all that other blood-curdling, adrenalin pumping fighter jock stuff like trying to shake some other 'puter nerd on teh other side of teh world off your 'virtual' tail in a gunzo dogfight :)
Sims to look for:
Janes F/A18
Flanker 2
Hornet Korea
Just don't forget the hook.