I'm not going to pretend that I'm an avid reader, but I do read sometimes, so here's a few books that I own.
Cooking
French
Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Childs
One of the best cookbooks ever made. The reason why I list this cookbook first is because it's a must read for any aspiring home and professional chef out there. Be wary though, this book isn't small; it's super dense and filled with basically anything you can think of regarding cooking. Think of it as the encyclopedia of cooking. This isn't just a recipe book, it's a guide on how to become a better chef, with detailed explanations and illustrations of techniques. I've referenced this book many times when I don't know what to make for dinner, and everytime the dish turns out amazing.
American
The Food Lab by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
Another must-read book for any aspiring chef that wants to understand cooking at a scientific level. Say what you want about Kenji, but this book is the real deal. Super dense and chock-full of amazing recipes and information to help you succeed in the kitchen. Honestly, I'd probably even call this book a modernized version of Julia Child's book, because it really is more of an encyclopedia than just a cookbook. Anything you want to learn about cooking, The Food Lab probably has it. There's a lot of information in this book, but don't feel like you have to read all of it, because I sure as hell didn't. Just look at the things that interest you.
Chinese
Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo
My knowledge of Chinese cooking is limited to say the least, but I glanced over this book when trying to find Chinese cookbooks and a lot of the material in there look delicious. Hundreds of recipe, and lots of backstory about the culture of Chinese cooking and it's history. I'll definitely reference back to this book again in the future when I eventually start tackling authentic Chinese cuisine.
Complete Chinese Cookbook by Ken Hom
I actually haven't read this book yet, but I saw this book recommended everywhere for people trying to get into Chinese cooking, so it must be pretty good. Again, like the above cookbooks, it doesn't seem to just be a recipe book, but an entire guide on understanding food at a deeper level.
Japanese
Tokyo Cult Recipes by Maori Murota
I also haven't read this book yet either, but my friend had a copy and he recommended that I check it out. Lots of pictures, lots of text, and lots of recipes.
Music
Piano
Jazz Piano Method by Mark Davis
This book has everything you need as a total beginner to start your journey as a jazz pianist. It's not a long book at all, but that doesn't mean that you should rush through it. The book has tons of excercises and pratice, so make sure to get really good at those before moving on. I reckon it might even take you a whole year to learn everything that this small book has to offer. Take your time with the book, and don't get frustrated if the excercises seem too hard and too cumbersome, because they are. You just have to develop that muscle memory by going through these excercises everyday.
Jazz Piano - Methods and Songbook for professional playing by Kent Hewitt
This was the first jazz piano book that I bought, and I liked it very much. It's not quite as profssional or polished as the Mark Davis book, but the content in it is amazing. Hewitt puts a lot of soul in this book and he gives you everything you need as a beginner to build up a solid foundation. The way he explains things in his book is very simple to grasp, and he makes learning fun. Don't just rely on this book for your entire journey though. Like the Mark Davis book, this book is for beginners, and once you start to get better you're going to have to rely on just listening to more jazz and improving yourself by playing.
Fake Books
The Real Book 6th Edition
This book is by no means perfect and has many inaccuracies but it's basically the industry standard for anyone that wants to learn jazz. If people could only buy a single fake book and go with it, then this book is most definitely the one. Don't rely too much on The Real Book though, or any fake book for that matter. Use it as a guide to learn melodies and then try to memorize the chord progression and embellish the melody without looking at the book.
The Disney Fake Book
Disney songs are super fun to play, and this book gives you a whole bunch of them to play and jam out. Keep in mind though. that some songs are written in alternate keys. For example, Someday My Prince Will Come is normally written in the key of BbMaj, but in the Disney Fake Book, the song is written in the key of FMaj, which I guess is easier? Anyways, just keep that in mind, and you'll be fine.