The title is really vague so let me suggest an example. I really enjoyed reading Getting Real by Basecamp.<p>I am not creating a startup (not yet at least), but the lessons there seem applicable to life in general, not just a new web based application.
I'll suggest some, all very different.<p>1. The Software Developer's Career Handbook: A Guide to Navigating the Unpredictable by Michael Lopp<p>This is about all the things around being a programmer at work.<p>2. The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder<p>This is a well regarded book about an engineering team building a Data General computer in the late 70s. So the lessons are indirect, but it's a pleasant and technical read. It reads almost like a novel.<p>Separately, I think it's worth reading at least a couple things that are more cynical. It's helpful for balance. On that front I'd say...<p>1. The Gervais Principle by Venkatesh Rao<p>This is a lengthy blog series (or ebook). It uses a metaphor about The Office, but it's still plenty relatable if you didn't watch that show. The abstraction this lays over modern knowledge work is quite interesting. It's a weird combination of demoralizing and liberating.<p>2. The Peter Principle by Peter and Hull<p>I remember reading this book and having trouble understanding if it was real or some form of satire. If I read it again now, many years later, I'd probably understand it better.
1. The Pragmatic Programmer.<p>2. Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer.<p>3. Diffusion of Innovations.<p>4. The Little Book of Common Sense Investing.<p>5. Implementing Lean Software Development: From Concept to Cash.<p>6. Writing to Learn.<p>7. On Writing Well.<p>8. Pragmatic Thinking and Learning: Refactor Your Wetware.<p>9. Thinking In Systems: A Primer.<p>10. The Startup Owner's Manual: The Step-By-Step Guide for Building a Great Company.
Bullshit jobs (Graeber): Im not sure if you are just starting out in the industry this book may not be for you. I had to stop reading it due to the horror of it all.