Yeah, try out different models and see what fits/suits you best. If you're not already experienced, have somebody who *truly* knows their stuff help you out. Learn how to hold a handgun correctly and *then* see what fits your hand/finger length.
Don't get something too small, smaller guns are harder to master/control. Don't get something too powerful for the same reason. It's all about trigger control and that's hard to learn with something that kicks a lot. When getting started, you want something with a decent length barrel so you can really *see* the sights (you want to see if they move when you pull the trigger, that's how you'll learn trigger control.
The small, handy models are really best left to experts. People who start with those seldom end up being able to hit much of anything. The way most guys go about shooting is like buying a rotary with a coarse wool pad and trying to master it by doing a black Countach.
I'd say get a .22 too, but I know most guys want a centerfire. Decide on revolver (get a .38, or a .357 but only shoot .38s in it until you're good) or a semi-auto (get a 9mm unless you have a good trainer in which case a .40 or a .45 might be worth considering). Get something that you can buy a .22 conversion kit for, it'll pay for itself in no time.
Can't overemphasize the importance of decent training. Most people are hopelessly incompetent with handguns and there's really no need for it. My wife went from a rank beginner to somebody quite competent (with a .45 auto) thanks to good training. Had she tried to learn on her own, or had *I* trained her, she wouldn't have *ever* mastered it. I shot for maybe 30 years before I really learned to do it right, and it was tough to break bad habits. Note that we burned up thousands of rounds learning how to use the things right- it wasn't quick or easy.
FWIW, my wife and I both prefer Colt govt. models in .45, though I also like to shoot S&W revolvers. Neither of us cares for the Glock's trigger or for any double-action semi-autos (don't like the transition from double to single after the first shot and we prefer to keep 'em cocked-and-locked). But yeah, a lot of people like Glocks and the SIGs are quite reliable. HK, Ruger, Taurus, everybody makes pretty good stuff these days.
Sorta like detailing- knowing what you're doing is more important than what you use to do it
Home defense- skip the handgun and get a 20 gauge semi-auto shotgun (no, not a 12 gauge pump
).
Sorry if this sounds like a rant but I take firearms ownership and use rather seriously and I believe most people go about it all wrong (with sometimes tragic results).