In light of your clarification, I think a .22 pistol is the best choice. A Ruger Mk II or III in a semi-auto, or a Smith 617 in a revolver. Economical high volume practice of the fundamentals is far more important than being a member of the "cult of noise".
Get a 22 semiauto pistol. Great for developing and maintaining shooting skills. Easy on the wallet.
OK, if you want a pistol, and .22 pistol is also a good training tool (verrry low recoil).
Someone else mentioned Glocks are bad for beginners. FWIW, a glock 17 was the first firearm I ever fired, period (it's a 9mil). I liked it a lot, it felt comfortable, the recoil was not a big deal, and I hit the black pretty well at 5 or so yards. Basically, it was pretty spot on for a beginner, and it allows for rapid, aimed follow up shots (17 rounds in the mag). I don't know if the caution was due to reliability or cleaning difficulty or what.
If you want a solid American design, the 1911 is the gold standard. It can only hold around 7 rounds (1 in the chamber as well), but they're .45 cals. It was in service in the military for most of the 20th century (that good, that rugged, that reliable), and some special forces still swear by them. It has a solid reputation. I managed to fire a Chinese copy of one, and the recoil didn't seem prohibitive at all (more noticeable than 9mm).
If you are into western styling check out the Heritage Arms 22LR/22Mag's. They are revolvers, 6" barrels, cheap, fun to shoot, fairly accurate, two cylinders, a seperate safety, and they look good. At Gunshow prices, this weapon, a handtooled leather holster, wide leather belt, and ammo can be had new for approx, $200. Slightly more if you want adjustable sights.