I can think of no better person to ask than Alan Kay:
What are the best books relevant to programming that have nothing to do with programming? (e.g. How Buildings Learn, Living Systems, etc.)?
replies(2):
What are the best books relevant to programming that have nothing to do with programming? (e.g. How Buildings Learn, Living Systems, etc.)?
Molecular Biology of the Cell
Notes on a Synthesis of Form
etc