>>9928there's an entire board dedicated to this, so I'm inclined to sage.
>>>/pdfs/or if that's incorrect
>>>/pdf/I'm not sure.
Of what I've read, Meditations is a bible for self-sufficiency, and a good introduction to stoicism to boot. That said, it makes sense to begin with other philosophical classics as well (read: the Greeks). My intro was that and the Republic, and by god was it a way to get the feet wet.
In other areas, I believe that knowledge in economics is crucial. As globalisation creeps closer to being fully realised, most national (or supranational, as in the case of the EU) economies are on the precipice of freefall, or perhaps simply barely staving off stagnation, and the crux of politics is in essence how well a demagogue can play up economic theory, understanding the terminology, trends, and basic forces behind economies is vital to understanding the world as it existed in the past, as it exists currently, and as it shall exist well into the future.