.=2E. "Chessbibliomania" is not a condition to be easily dismissed,
and research has shown it isn't curable.

Isn't this the truth. I'm now above 500 chess books "but I just can't
help myself." And don't think that having/browsing a lot of books
will somehow make you a good player. The person who pointed out that
all the books in the world don't substitute for practical experience
is dead on. I'm living proof of it. A balance of study and play is
needed, and I read elsewhere that at the low levels, 80% play and 20%
study may be right.

Another resource I didn't see mentioned here (though not a book) is
Chess Tactics Server (chess.emrald.net). It's free and, importantly,
it feeds you problems at a difficulty level based on how you are
doing. (Its downside is its emphasis on speed solving, but you can
take your time and let speed come when you have developed your pattern
recognition enough.)