The Top 50 Essential Non-Fiction Books for Weirdos

The kind of books that appear on 'Top __' lists are basically a genre unto themselves, generally unchanging from year to year and useful only as source material for mothers in the suburbs to give as gifts to their friends who don't actually read so that everyone can feel sophisticated. They also seem to germinate suspiciously close to Christmas. The Top 50 Essential Non-Fiction Books for Weirdos over at geezpete.com, however, is pretty damn worthwhile. Also, like fourfiveone, its selection is based exclusively on personal taste rather than some sort of carbon copy of an aged dictum from the ivory towers, which I appreciate. Incidentally, I recently visited the Hawksmoor Towers at All Souls College in Oxford, held in some circles to be the literal ivory towers that inspired the contemporary usage of the phrase. As per usual, Do The Math was right on the money in critiquing 'Top __' lists; when asked to submit a Top 10 Jazz Album list, The Bad Plus submitted a 'Top 10 Wild Animals' list and a '10 Completely Random (Shuffled) Songs from Three iPods List'. Respect.

UPDATE! Wow, I went over to check the Modern Library's 100 Best Novels list, and L. RON HUBBARD AND AYN RAND ACTUALLY HAVE THREE AND FOUR TITLES RESPECTIVELY IN THE TOP 10 OF THE READERS LIST. That's it, humanity is doomed.