". . . whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitave that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea"

After my first top ten list, Donna made the suggestion that I make a list of my favorite top ten books published before 1975. Well, being generally perverse and relishing a challenge, I decided to first attempt a list of books from after 1975. I thought it might be hard to even think of ten things I've read that were that contemporary, let alone that I could really call "favorites." Mostly I read stuff from before 1900. Also, a series definitely only qualifies as one entry, so I can't just fill the list with Harry Potter. Well, I've been working on this list for a while now and come up with what I think are some interesting and diverse books (in no particular order) --

1. The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
2. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
3. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
4. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
5. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
6. Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
7. The Friendly Shakespeare by Norrie Epstein
8. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley
9. The Harper Hall trilogy by Anne McCaffrey
10. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams

Here are a few comments on my choices --

1 & 2. Yes, both by the same author, but extremely different books and both exceptionally good. I may have Bean Trees memorized by now.
3. Pick a favorite? Maybe Prisoner of Azkaban or Half-Blood Prince.
7. If nothing else, all high school students should receive the "No-Holds Bard: A Glossary of Sexual Slang." Trust me, they'd enjoy those plays a lot more.
9. Dragonsong and Dragonsinger were staples for me growing up and still favorites today.
10. Like "Futurama"? Read this book! The blog entry title is a quote from book one. Other highlights -- "Ford, you're turning into a penguin. Stop it." and "Who - the man with the five heads and the elderberry bush full of kippers?"