I think the key is not so much reading books but learning. Decades ago (probably after I did something stupid), I realized that life was too short to succeed by only learning from my own mistakes. There were just too many mistakes to make! It made more sense to learn from the life experiences and wisdom of others.
As a result of that decision, I've read a lot of books, articles, and research papers. I've asked a lot of smart people some dumb questions and came away a little less dumb. I've been helping a fellow retiree with a rental property for the past few days and several times I've thought, "We're not the first persons to have this problem. Let's see what others have done to address it." I'd turn to a book, an article, a YouTube instructional video, or an expert for advice.
Books are a GREAT way to get the advice of experts for only a few dollars or even get that AHA insight that can change your life.
OTOH, the map is not the territory. (Something I learned from reading books about NLP.) Book learning by itself is not enough. You have to apply that new knowledge in the real world for it to benefit you in a tangible way.