White Oleander, Janet Fitch – This book enraptured me with its pale beauty. In the words of Ingrid Magnussen, “My hatred gives me strength.”
 Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden – An engaging, exotic tale of the Orient.
 Snow Falling on Cedars, David Guterson – While exploring social issues, especially concerning inter-racial relationships, the author builds a fluid work of stunning imagery.
 Bones of Contention, Roger Lewin – Lewin has a knack for writing paleoanthropology that doesn’t bore the reader to death, and Contention is a detailed piece of quality non-fiction exploring the controversies in the history of human origins research.
 The Godfather, Mario Puzo – I don’t see how I could have excluded this gem from the list. Revenge is sweet, even when served cold, ;-)
 The Human Career, Richard G. Klein – A great college text that serves as a comprehensive stepping stone for anyone wishing to delve deeper into the technical literature of paleoanthropology.
 The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkein – This classic of fantasy classics spawned the genre as we know it today.
 Flatland, Edwin A. Abbott – An imaginary two-dimensional world inhabited by two-dimensional beings. Mr. A. Square (who happens to be a square) one day meets Lord Sphere (who happens to be a sphere), who subsequently enlightens him to the existence of extra dimensions. Interesting read.
 Brave New World, Aldous Huxley – The dystopic effects of genetic and social engineering are explored.
 Dancing on My Grave, Gelsey Kirkland – The autobiography of a famous and talented ballet dancer whose career led her to anorexia-bulimia and a cocaine addiction. Truly touching.
 Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov – His prose overflows with such exquisite and extravagant beauty. He is a wry and witty comedian amidst the tempest of life’s tragedies. He extols the invaluable ability to indulge in one’s most maudlin moments and a split-second later, step back to appraise one’s own mawkishness. His style is the fastidious balance between the rational and the emotional.
 The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy – This book took me on an aesthetic thrill ride with a lush, saturated world populated by a cast of haunted characters.

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