Plan a Reading List for a Subject You Know Nothing About

The trouble with a new subject is you don't yet know what you don't know, so you grab the wrong book and bounce off it. Tell it the subject and your current level and it builds an ordered reading list, foundations first, application later, no advanced texts dropped on you before you're ready.

<context>
Starting to learn a new subject from scratch is overwhelming because you do not yet know what you do not know. A well-sequenced reading list moves from conceptual foundations to practical application and avoids the common mistake of starting with advanced texts before understanding the basics.
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<task>
Name the subject you want to learn and your current knowledge level: [subject]. Build a sequenced reading list of eight to ten books or resources. For each entry, explain in one sentence why it comes at that point in the sequence (what foundation it builds on or what it prepares you for).
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<output_format>
A numbered reading list. For each entry: title and author, a one-sentence description of what it covers, and a one-sentence sequencing rationale. Group the list into three stages: Foundations (books 1-3), Core Understanding (books 4-7), and Application or Advanced (books 8-10). Total: 400-500 words.
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