For a first-time CTO planning a startup, focus on building the product rather than the title. However, essential reads include "The Staff Engineer's Path" by Tanya Reilly, "An Elegant Puzzle" by Will Larson, "Becoming an Effective Software Engineering Manager" by James Stanier, and Sarah Drasner's "Engineering Management for the Rest of Us." Also consider Gergely Orosz's "Pragmatic Engineer" newsletter for practical templates and processes.