C++ is a Huuuuuge Language.
The Path towards Expertise would be:
You have got to read The C++ Programming Language by Stroustrup, no way you can escape this. http://www.amazon.com/The-Progra...
The Design and Evolution of C++ Book from Stroustrup would help you.http://www.amazon.com/The-Design...
Inside C++ Object Model by Stanley Lippman would help you.http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Obj...
Agner Fog Optimization Manuals would give you Start. http://www.agner.org/optimize/
Effective and More Effective C++ book would help, you cannot clear any C++ technical Interview without reading this. Better search for Scott Meyers in Google and Read Everything. He has huge insights for writing correct way of C++
It would give basics to understand Huge C++ framework libraries such as Qt , Boost etc., The Gang of 4 Book would help you. http://www.amazon.com/Design-Pat...
API Design by Martin Reddy would give you a start. http://www.amazon.com/API-Design...
Phew .... We came so far without even touching Meta Programming and Templates.
For this you need to take different path instead of learning C++ , you would learn Haskell or CommonLisp. Haskell would be perfect. http://bartoszmilewski.com/2009/...
But i took the other one (Common Lisp). http://letoverlambda.com/
You may notice from Step 8, it become vague path. So I would say after Step 8 you need to invent your own Path.
Did I mention to read C++ 0x11 oh god So much to read but life is too short .
So my opinion would be C++ language is gonna stay for foreseeable future unless we work on computer which is not based on Von neumann architecture.
So better invest your 10 years to expertise C++ and Computer programming.
It does pay off, you can demand Good Salary, no matter what hype is (VB, Java, C# and now Go). Its tested against Time .