Listmania!
Be Cool Like Me
By an Amazon.com customer
A Confederacy of DuncesA Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Buy new: $17.79 / Used from: $6.94
In the eternal list of combined books, movies, and music, this would be alone at the top.
CivilWarLand in Bad DeclineCivilWarLand in Bad Decline by George Saunders
Buy new: $9.89 / Used from: $5.68
Funny and moving collection from one of the best writers working today.
Ham on Rye: A NovelHam on Rye: A Novel by Charles Bukowski
Buy new: $10.07 / Used from: $7.67
Start your bukowski obsession off right with this book.
DrownDrown by Junot Díaz
Buy new: $9.75 / Used from: $7.25
Everybody and their mother loved The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, and rightfully so, but his 96` collection is absolutely fantastic and showed how talented he really was.
Old SchoolOld School by Tobias Wolff
Buy new: $9.36 / Used from: $0.45
His short fiction is heralded as some of the best and his collections The Night In Question and In The Garden Of The North American Martyrs reveal Tobias Wolff to be a true craftsman of the short story, but this partly autobiographical novel is so tightly structured and well written that it really needs to be on this list.
Jesus' Son: StoriesJesus' Son: Stories by Denis Johnson
Buy new: $9.36 / Used from: $4.50
As you can probably tell I like short fiction, and this collection is one of the best.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & ClayThe Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
Buy new: $10.88 / Used from: $2.94
Everything you want in a novel is in this book.
Geek Love: A NovelGeek Love: A Novel by Katherine Dunn
Buy new: $10.20 / Used from: $6.88
Everything you never thought of wanting is in this book.
Our Mutual Friend (Modern Library Classics)Our Mutual Friend (Modern Library Classics) by Charles Dickens
Buy new: $9.32 / Used from: $4.94
Don’t run from Dickens, embrace him and find yourself with lots of new friends. Start with Our Mutual Friend and move towards Bleak House and Great Expectations.
The Talented Mr. RipleyThe Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Buy new: $10.04 / Used from: $5.88
The movie is really good but the book is just, it’s just better.
Portnoy's ComplaintPortnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth
Buy new: $10.20 / Used from: $4.50
Haven’t read as much Roth as I should have, but Portnoy’s Complaint is absolutely in my top five.
Slaughterhouse-Five: A NovelSlaughterhouse-Five: A Novel by Kurt Vonnegut
Buy new: $10.20 / Used from: $6.28
Please read Vonnegut. You'll be a better person.
Breakfast of Champions or Goodbye Blue Monday!: A NovelBreakfast of Champions or Goodbye Blue Monday!: A Novel by Kurt Vonnegut
Buy new: $10.20 / Used from: $5.47
I probably like this more than Slaughter-House Five.
Alice In WonderlandAlice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Buy new: $5.95 / Used from: $13.15
The more you read the more you realize how much of a pervy genius Lewis Carroll really was.
The Perks of Being a WallflowerThe Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Buy new: $10.08 / Used from: $3.99
Yes I judged it for being published by MTV. Shame on me. Great book.
Collected FictionsCollected Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges
Buy new: $14.28 / Used from: $10.97
Amazing writer.
The ShiningThe Shining by Stephen King
Buy new: $12.48 / Used from: $3.53
You can read Steven King and still be literary. Just pick this one, or The Stand.
A Scanner DarklyA Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick
Buy new: $10.08 / Used from: $4.84
Don’t dismiss science fiction. Start with Phillip K. Dick and ease in slowly.
The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and NocturnesThe Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman
Buy new: $13.59 / Used from: $10.00
Comics are awesome. Neil Gaiman is awesome. The Sandman delves deeper into human psyche than many novels.
Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on EarthJimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth
Buy used from: $26.98
Read this and sandman and discover comics go way beyond the Sunday papers.
Spirited AwaySpirited Away
Buy new: $18.49 / Used from: $14.90
One of my favorite movies of all time. Animated beautifully and the story is timeless.
The Maltese Falcon Three-Disc Special Edition (1941 & 1931 versions / Satan Met a Lady)The Maltese Falcon Three-Disc Special Edition (1941 & 1931 versions / Satan Met a Lady)
Buy new: $25.49 / Used from: $12.99
Humphrey Bogart doing what he does best in one of the best films of all time.
Sherman's MarchSherman's March
Buy new: $26.99 / Used from: $13.75
I love good documentaries and this is one of the best.
The Simpsons - The Complete First SeasonThe Simpsons - The Complete First Season
Buy new: $27.99 / Used from: $3.98
The best show of all time. Period.
Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Collector's Set (40 discs)Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Collector's Set (40 discs)
Buy new: $166.99 / Used from: $118.95
The second best.