There are so many books that can be helpful, depending on your specific interests. I find myself reaching for the Standard Catalog of Vintage Baseball Cards all the time to learn more about obscure (at least to me) issues and to get a sense for what players are in what set and at what cost.
David Cycleback's Judging the Authenticity of Early Baseball Cards provided this newbie to pre-War cards with some good tips for safely enjoying this hobby.
I bought a used copy of Hager's Comprehensive Price Guide to Rare Baseball Cards that also gives a bit of history to many sets. It also has his recommendations for how much "potential" and "risk" there are to sets/cards. It is interesting to look at his thoughts with the benefit of hindsight.
Lew Lipset's books (which can be found in 1 volume) are classics and while somewhat "dated" (without the benefit of new discoveries) offer great information to collectors.
On the non-card front, I have enjoyed Mike Shannon's Baseball Books: A Collector's Guide, A Portrait of Baseball Photography by Fogel, Oser and Yee, and Mike Egner's Vintage Pennant Price Guide II.
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