Books To Get Excited Over

On the Internet, you can find lots of lists of Top 100 books, or books everyone should read.  At Modern Library, they have provided a list, and also made a list based on reader's votes:

Their board of authors' list has the usual suspects, but the top ten of the readers' list shows a great example of what produces passion among readers:

• 4 Ayn Rand books
• 3 L. Ron Hubbard books
• 2 books that are commonly assigned in high school
• The Lord of the Rings.

So that's what literati stuff the ballot-box for.  I have to admit (at risk of losing my nerd card) I've never read The Lord of the Rings.  But I probably should, as it's the only book in the top ten without religious/philosophical connections, and that the readers weren't forced to read.