Recently read ‘Design is a Job’ by Mike Montiero (he’s the guy who published that web lecture ‘F*ck You, Pay Me’)
Its a good overview of working as an independent or as a small design business, and he has an entertaining style
also bought and on the to-read list:
Thomas Heatherwick: Making
Les Trois Mousquetaires ( to work on my French )
Eliot Noyes by Gordon Bruce