Hi Bruce,
I see, so you want to explain why using SE24 is so powerful and easy? Correct me if i am wrong.
TAW12 is part of the ABAP course Bundle, which is the ABAP fundamentals course, that includes the courses TAW10, TAW11 and TAW12, the books are given as part of the courses. If you search for pdfs with the course name you should find something that someone has shared.
My version is in my mother language (portuguese) and many pages were scrawled by me with notes, so i don't know if it would help.
I just reviewed it, and there's a chapter with a guideline of SE24: (it is a bit mixed with SE80)
Chapter 3 - Object-Oriented Repository Objects
I googled it an i found the official e-learning chapter on it, someone did get the presentation and shared on scribd:
*it is supposed to have videos and subtitles in english check if works in your browser, check it before someone wipes it out!!
Chapter 3 - Object-Oriented Repository ObjectsSAP
Scribd link with other several topics/links on this course videos: Taw12
The guideline is the same as my SAP Book, maybe a bit changed due to version update.
Additionaly, in Chapter 1 - Introduction to ABAP Oriented Programming , there are some historical and structural data about ABAP Objects, comparison to FM and procedural approach, in general it explains why SAP has developed this language, and it says that "were only adopted concepts that have been proved effective in another OO Languages, as Java, C++, and Smalltalk".
Well... changing a bit the subject, i agree with you that event raising and handling are quite a good resource, and by the way, there's a relevant concept called Publish and Subscribe (it is also in the book The Pragmatic Programmer, surprise!! hehehe wikipedia also has it 
). In SAP it is available as the ABAP Messaging Channel available on NW AS ABAP 7.40, it is on my list of studies when i get my hands on it.
Hope it helps!
Regards,
Renan