The ad agencies are really good at making stuff look like everything else. If you get the book everyone is reading, then you're doing what everyone is doing. You want to be DIFFERENT. :)

As to marketing books, I like anything by Dan Kennedy. I have given this guy literally tens of thousands of dollars and it has ALL paid me back time and again. www.dankennedy.com

Also I like,

Gary Halbert
Jay Abraham
Napolean Hill
"The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
"The Fall of Advertising and Rise of PR" is also a must read for anyone who wants to make it in the next phase of the marketing climate.

Many many more... but I'd start there.