I'm sorry that you've reached this conclusion. Besides luck and talent as necessary ingredients, I think it's vitamin C that brings you forward. People in the industry have to know your name and tell others about you and for this, you have to know some of them yourself (ideally independently from one another) and be interesting for them. Not sure how to accomplish that, it's perhaps - again - luck to for example meet a producer and come along well on a personal level.

Instead of reading books, perhaps internships and side-jobs in positions near relevant people are more promising to get forward as musician yourself. At least that's how it works in other branches. Of course, you have to get into that first as well and work yourself up. Ever thought about becoming a rowdy? That's surely tough and demanding, but I bet they have a great time and since it's a small circus on tour, sometimes band members hang out with their workers (you'd have to check out which ones are open and nice first of course..).

Anyway, that's my 2 cents:-)