Quoted from Lon Found that it read quite a bit like stereo instructions but it got me interested nevertheless.

LOL yes!  For a writer, he had the most amazingly snooze-worthy style!

On the subject of self-discipline: Yes I think that reading screenwriting books could just become another form of procrastination, but personally I've found the likes of "Story" and one or two others an inspiration.  I wouldn't like to jump into something like screenwriting without doing ANY research, because I know from previous experience that I'd waste a couple of years flailing around re-inventing the wheel...and then end up having to read something anyway when I got completely stuck.  

I bought a few screenwriting books when I started out, then my boss bought me a load more so I've read a ton of these.

Screenwriting books can only take you so far, but here's a quick list of some of the books I've read:

Teach Yourself Screenwriting - Raymond Frensham. The first screenwriting book I read and probably one of the best. The author is British but he definitely knows his stuff when it comes to both the U.K. market and Hollywood. Great for beginners with a lot of good advice about concept and prewriting, as well as marketing your script.

Story - Robert McKee. A must read.

Making a Good Script Great - Linda Seger. Not one of my favourites but it's pretty useful for the rewriting process.

Creating Unforgettable Characters - Linda Seger. An excellent guide to character development.

The Secrets of Action Screenwriting - W.C. Martell. An enjoyable read with some great tips for action writing. Not the most comprehensive, but I picked up some great tips from this book. Martell's sold around 18 scripts so he knows his stuff.

The Screenwriter's Bible - David Trottier. Great resource for formatting questions and learning structure.

Television and Screenwriting - Richard Blum. Another good formatting resource, with examples of format from several T.V. shows. Probably more useful for T.V. writers.

I'd also recommend the works of Vogler and Campbell on the hero's journey. Study Aristotle, Shakespeare, Checkhov, Ibsen etc. You can learn a lot from great playwrights IMO.

I have a few more screenwriting books, but I forget their titles. Strangely enough, I think the only one I haven't read is Syd Field's.

You'll find most of these books repeat a lot of info from others. You only really need two or three of the better titles.

Has anyone read a book called 'The Hollywood Standard" by Christopher Riley? It’s about script format and style. I borrowed it from the library toady. It was published last year.

Quoted Text Secrets of Screenplay Structure: How to Recognize and Emulate the Structural Frameworks of Great Films by Linda J. Cowgill

I second this. Not finished reading it yet (not even half-way!), but so far it's been an excellent read, using films like Witness, Casablanca, and Quiz Show as examples. The title can be misleading because it's not a list of secrets, but rather discusses specific areas of screenwriting in detail, and why the films mentioned worked so well.

I also read Screenplay and thought it was good. The Screenwriter's Workbook is good also.