Design

Patterns, tools, inspiration, theory
A Pattern Language Christopher Alexander
The Art of Game Design Jesse Schell
Thing from the Future Situation Lab
Understanding Comics Scott McCloud
Universal Methods of Design Martin, Hanington
Universal Principles of Design Lidwell, Holden, Butler
Design Like You Give a Damn Kate Stohr,‎ Cameron Sinclair
Design Revolution Emily Pilloton
Designing and Engineering Time Steven Seow Ph.D.
Designing with the Mind in Mind Jeff Johnson
Graphic Design: The New Basics Ellen Lupton, Jennifer Cole Phillips
IDEO Method Cards IDEO
Making and Breaking the Grid Timothy Samara
Notes on the Synthesis of Form Christopher Alexander
The First Six Books of the Elements of Euclid Oliver Byrne
The Elements of Typographic Style Robert Bringhurst
The Medium is the Massage Marshall McLuhan, Quentin Fiore
The Field Study Handbook Jan Chipchase

Form and space

Architecture, sculpture, 3D graphics
A Pattern Language Christopher Alexander
Architecture: Form, Space, and Order Ching, Francis D. K.
Conditional Design Anthony di Mari
Graphics Shaders: Theory and Practice Bailey, Mike
Operative Design Anthony di Mari, Nora Yoo
Parametric Design for Architecture Jabi, Wassim
Real Time Rendering Tomas Akenine-Moller, Eric Haines
Siteless François Blanciak

Software

Bicycle for the mind
Robotics Primer Maja J. Mataric, PhD
Concrete Mathematics Graham, Knuth, Patashnik
Graphics Shaders: Theory and Practice Bailey, Mike
Real Time Rendering Tomas Akenine-Moller, Eric Haines
The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs Sussman, Abelson

Making

Tools, processes, resources
Machinery's Handbook Oberg, Erik & Jones, Franklin D.
Making It Chris Lefteri
Pocket Ref Thomas J. Glover

Fundamental needs

Tools for weathering the Anthropocene. Climate, energy, food security.
A Case for Climate Engineering David Keith
Energy Transitions Vaclav Smil
Harvesting the Biosphere Vaclav Smil
Prime Movers of Globalization Vaclav Smil
The Business Solution to Poverty Polak Warwick
The Drawdown Paul Hawken
Encyclical on Climate Change and Inequality Pope Francis
Feeding the World Vaclav Smil
Global Catastrophic Risks Nick Bostrum
Global Catastrophies and Trends Vaclav Smil
Whole Earth Discipline Stewart Brand

Strategy/planning

Systems thinking, startups, scenario planning
Business Model Generation Alexander Osterwalder,‎ Yves Pigneur
Lean UX Jeff Gothelf, Shosh Seiden
Running Lean Ash Murya
The Art of the Long View Peter Schwartz
The Entrepreneurial State Mariana Mazzucato
The Innovator's Dilemma Clayton Christensen
The Innovator's Solution Clayton Christensen
Thinking in Systems Donella Meadows

Thinking

Philosophy, 1000ft views
A Secular Age Charles Taylor
Extrastatecraft Keller Easterling
Evolution in Four Dimensions Eva Jablonka, Marion J. Lamb
Finite and Infinite Games James Carse
Superintelligence Nick Bostrum
On the Shortness of Life Seneca
Pensees Blaise Pascal
To Have or to Be Erich Fromm

Literature/poetry

Imagining better
Aurora Kim Stanley Robinson
Invisible Cities Italo Calvino
A Canticle for Lebowitz Walter M. Miller Jr.
Beowulf Seamus Heaney
Denise Levertov, Collected Works Denise Levertov
Hard to Be a God Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
Rainbows End Vernor Vinge
Roadside Picnic Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
Silence Shusaku Endo
The Brothers Karamazov Fyodor Dostoyevsky
The Peripheral William Gibson

Backlog

Books and tools in the backlog
The Stack Bejamin Bratton
Digital Humanitarians Patrick Meier
Information and Communication Technology in Areas of Limited Statehood Various
Seeing Like a State James C. Scott
A Thousand Plateaus Deleuze, Guattari
Deep Learning Ian Goodfellow, Yaoshua Bengio, Aaron Courville
Energy and Civilization Vaclav Smil
Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital Carlota Perez
Identity and Violence Amartya Sen
Man's Search for Meaning Viktor Frankl