One other book I
highly recommend is David Cycleback's
Judging the Authenticity of Early Baseball Cards. David is one of the members of this forum. The knowledge you'll glean is applicable to any older set you might collect, and will go a long way to protect you when buying from dealers you might not know (you should always try to buy from reputable dealers/individuals if at all possible).
His website also has a wealth of information on forensic analysis, which will come in handy when examining not only baseball cards, but currency and historical documents, as well.
This article on forensic light is fascinating, and useful to collectors.
Is David Cycleback a Nome De Plume, or is the guy's last name really Cycleback?