Bradbury is one of the all time great masters of sci-fi. Dandelion Wine is one of his finest works, a look at childhood with all of its fantasy intact.

Start small with Tolkien's classic tale of a Hobbit caught up with a wizard, a band of dwarves, a dragon, and a magic ring.

If the Hobbit reads like a kids book, and the Lord of The Rings like an epic fantasy, The Silmarillion is mythological. It's a dense, meaty telling of the history of middle-earth.

A little pulpy, but wonderfully atmosphereic and well written. A must for horror fans and the link between Poe and King.

I considered being a cartoonist in my youth, but the fact I have trouble with stick figures sort of put the kibosh on that aspiration. (Shame it doesn't stop some) Watterson is a grandmaster of the art funny, poignant, thoughtfull and brought together in this beautiful, but extremely heavy collection.

The NESFA collections can be a little pricey but are worth every penny. Smith is wonderfully imaginative and well written. My only complaint is that he wasn't more prolific. This and the novel Norstrillia represent his entire catalog.

I couldn't make a list with only one Bradbury book. One of the great distopian works of all time.

Read this and you will come to two conclusions. Philip K Dick was insane, and he was a spectacular writer.

Containing elements of dark fantasy, sci-fi and horror, Mieville takes his time introducing us to his city and his characters, then all hell breaks loose. This one is destined to be a classic.

Leiber is one of the grandfathers of modern fantasy, often overshadowed by Tolkien and Lewis. This is definitely not kid's stuff and darker then both of those authors. If you love fantasy this is a must read.

The Belgariad is one of the best of modern fantasy. I read this and the Malorian in about a week when I was 16.

Burke's meaty writing style can be a little hard to follow at times, but he offers a fun, non-linear version of history that both educates and engages.

If you like "true" ghost stories this is a spectacular collection. I really wish someone would republish it so it would be available at a reasonable price.

A man seeks refuge from the world, finds love, and must fend off that world. Spectacularly well written and atmospheric work.

So much more impressive then the movie versions, far more thoughful and poetic.

Wonderful modern poetry that ranges from biting urban commentary to all-out-fun cartoon based works. Seibles is also a joy to see read his works.

One of modern poetry's more gifted writers.

One of the few poets that can work masterfully with rhyming couplets.

A funny and compelling memoir by Jacques Pepin, with a few recipes for good measure.

A classic mystery that scared the poo out of me when I was about 11.