I know, I've put this book on a lot of my lists, but it still belongs on this one. The fact of the matter is, if you are going to write in English (letters home, business reports, homework, whatever) you need to read this book.

Not a must have. If you like to occationally drink wine, I recommend getting a wine book. My girl-friend bought me this one for christmas and I love it. Very informative, even tells you how to "taste" wine as opposed to just drinking it.

I'll settle for you reading this one, and it won't even cost you five bucks.

I'll even settle for this very cheap volume. But please, read some poetry.

And speaking of the Internet, if you don't know how to use it (which lets face it you do), or you want to get better at it. Start here...

And while we're on the subject of computers. You should probably know Microsoft Office, too.

This one is just something to think about in these our troubling times.

This is my number two choice. It can be considered either a "in addition to" or an "instead of" which ever you prefer. I like this one's furniture repair section but I like the other book overall.

Very expensive, and again, I'm an English major. But if you are going to read, you should know how. Not just the basics, but how to read *and* think, how to critique what you read. That's what this is.

OK, if you're not a Christian, now is the time to walk away. If you are a Christian, your basic library needs a Family Bible, the big kind that you write births and deaths in a use to hold cards and press flowers. I like this one.