Not much attention given at all to explaining what order in which these should be read or what optimality means. This is just a list of books some guy is proud to have read
Lists like these are almost always more accurately titled "How I wish I'd been taught X" and are aimed squarely at a student who has never really existed, one who simply learns whatever is put in front of them and can therefore be steered by a heavy stack of "the best" books away from all the mistakes and dead ends and frustrations that real students face. Real pedagogy's tougher than that!