Glock 19 is a great gun for the things you want it to do. I would strongly recommend you take a safety course to familiarize yourself with firearms in general. Or take a defensive pistol class. Good luck and have fun,.
I see a lot of "G19" answers, but remember that it isn't much smaller than a full-sized gun, and may not conceal under something small like a T-shirt. Something that can double as either a compact or a subcompact, like the M&P compact or the XD subcompact, would be my recommendation.
Glock 19, I have used one through Tactical Response's Fighting Pistol and had no problems. The gun I brought crapped out on me. After doing a force on force course, I would not want a pistol with an external safety on it. Just keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to destroy what you are aiming at. I am in the process of selling off all my other pistols except one to just have glocks.
Get a .45 1911 instead. A commander or officer size frame is great for CC. The .45 acp is a much better all around caliber than the 9mm. It has great stopping power for your home security needs. The 1911 design is about as simple to operate and tear down as any firearm ever designed. Both the commander and the officer frames offer great accuracy with practice. If you are looking for the best all around gun, look no further than .45...Stick with Springfield Armory, Colt, S&W... All are fine manufacturers and offer very nice entry level guns. Good luck!
I'm going to agree with the CZ-P01. It was my first pistol purchase. I got one without any safeties, but a decocker. It's a very, very comfortable and reliable weapon. I have fired a few other 9mm, the Glock19, a Beretta, and some others that I can't recall off the top of my head. Out of all of them, I've enjoyed my CZ the most. Of course, it's all personal opinion, though.
I spent my part of the Cold War on a cold hilltop in Germany making sure a guided missile could shoot down the wave of aircraft the Soviets were going to send through Czechoslavakia, when the SHTF. Now a Czech pistol (CZ 9mm P01) rests against my side, making sure anyone who wants to harm any good folks in my traveling radius have a reason to NOT. Is that irony? I'm not sure, but I'm sure that my CZ will go bang when I pull the trigger, and I'm sure that if only I were capable, it could choose which of the bad guy's eyes the bullet would go through, and it's pretty to boot - like with a wife is not really important, but, like, nice. You know?
I had to sell my .380 for financial reasons, but I put money down on a Bersa 9mm Ultracompact Pro at BG Firearms. 13+1, 2 mags, safety/decocker, in a frame that isn't much larger than my .380 was.
They are asking $359 for it. Great value and a great gun. Can't wait!