Exim4 and Mutt for beginners?

[Tyler <tyler.smith@mail.mcgill.ca>]

Hi,

I really want to try Mutt. However, I'm more than a little overwhelmed 
by the documentation. I understand that Mutt requires a properly 
configured MTA, and that Exim4 is the recommended, default MTA for 
Debian. However, Exim4 seems like a very big hammer for a very small 
nail -- I just want to send and receive mail via my pop-mail account on 
my laptop. Two questions:

Should I wade into the Exim4 docs and try and figure that out, or is 
there a simpler option for someone with minimal experience with such 
matters?

If Exim4 is indeed the best option, is there a recommended point of 
entry? The Debian Reference is very terse, and assumes a fair bit of 
knowledge that I don't have (I need a little more hand-holding than 
"configure these files to make it work"). The Exim4 Specification is 
very detailed, but aimed at people who already know something. Do I 
really need to sit down and work through a full-length book before I 
even start with Mutt?

Currently I'm using Thunderbird, but I'm finding all the 
point-and-clickies are more distracting than enabling. Thanks for any 
suggestions!

Tyle