As with my Top 10 Movies, this list is not a list of the "best" books I've ever read, but the books that have had the most significant impact on my life. I'm not going to bother attempting to put them in any particular order. So, without further ado, here is the next entry for my 101 in 1001 goals.

Ender's Game by Orson Scott CardThere is so much going on this book. It's is simultaneously a commentary on the power of youth, the horrors of war and the strength of will. As with most of Card's work, there are no traditional heroes or villains. Characters have complex motivations, and are overwhelmed by the situations around them. This book is as moving now after dozens of reads as it was the first time I read it. Honorable Mention: Ender's Shadow- the same story from another character's point of view.

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel by Virginia Lee BurtonYou'll notice that several books on this list are "children's" books. That's because these are the books that made me love reading as much as I do. Mike and Mary Anne are a great team, and as it becomes more difficult for them to keep up with the newer shovels, they must go further afield to find work. Eventually they agree to dig a foundation in a single day. At the end of the day they are successful, but they went so fast they forgot to leave a way out of the hole. However a great solution is reached that allows Mike and Mary Anne to stay together and useful for many years to come. Like John Henry but with the man and the machine on the same side, and a happy ending. Honorable Mention: The Little Engine That Could- I think I can, I think I can.

The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman RushdieA story of celebrity, music, love, status the choices people make in life to reach their goals. A plot line that doesn't deserve to be more than a pulp one-read book is made beautiful by Rushdie's prose. In the hands of anyone else, this story could seem silly instead, it is one that can be read again and again. Honorable Mention: The Satanic Verses- Surprisingly little to do with Satan at all..

Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson.A giant tome spanning 50 years, and three interwoven stories. It's got action, science, treasure, mystery and love. Characters you simultaneously wish you were and are glad you aren't. Stephenson manages to make a cryptologist into an action figure and a gung-ho US Marine into a brilliant strategist at the same time. Honorable Mention: The Baroque Cycle- 3000 pages of awesome. With pirates.

The Story of Light by Ben BovaIf all science books were written like this, school would've been a lot more interesting. It covers both how light itself behaves and the effect light has on the world around us. The writing style is easy to read, and the information is related to everyday concepts that make it easy to grasp. Honorable Mention: Chasing the Rising Sun- More non-fiction written as engagingly as any fiction.

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. HeinleinThis book was one of my earliest introductions to the world of both Sci-Fi and full-length novels. Some of the ideas were a bit shocking to my fairly sheltered Jr. High-aged self, but the depth of the world created was what kept me coming back for more. I still seek out Heinlein's works and spend most of my time in the Science Fiction sections of libraries and book stores. Honorable Mention: Farnham's Freehold My very first Heinlein. Not his best work, but a real eye-opener.

Everyone Knows What a Dragon Looks Like by Jay WilliamsEven without the simply amazingly beautiful illustrations by Mercer Mayer, this book has much to teach. It shows us that judging a person by their appearence is not wise, that the wise men frequently aren't and that sometimes a child can see the truth better than any adult. And sometimes a simple act of kindness can save an entire town. Honorable Mention: Terrible Troll- Sometimes you get to be the hero.

And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street by Dr. SeussHow can you not love this book? It's a wild ride through the imagination. Making the truth more exciting is always a temptation, and the process of embellishing the truth requires great strength of character if you ask me. Marco's desire to come home with an interesting story makes for a great story for the rest of us. Honorable Mention: The Cat in The Hat- maybe the first book I ever read all by myself.

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper LeeAnyone who doesn't want to be Atticus Finch when they grow up, at least a little bit, has something wrong with them. You'll notice that there aren't many "classics" on this list. Mostly, that's because they're not that great. I didn't read this until I bought a copy for my father that he already had, so I kept it to read myself. The simple faith in the overall goodness of people and the strength required to bring that out of some people is uplifting and sobering at the same time. Honorable Mention: I can't think of another "classic" that comes close

The Boy Scout FieldbookDespite my first exposure to this book being my father's copy that his brother had decorated with extra references to latrines, this book is somewhat fundamental to the idea that you should know how to do things for yourself. Basic knots, cooking, sewing, and a little of everything else makes you a well rounded person. Collecting that information into an easy to use reference is indispensable. I haven't been a Boy Scout for a long time, but I still use this book regularly. Honorable Mention: The Backstage Handbook- just in case you need to fly a case of beer.

And finally, the one book that has kicked my ass, over and over again:Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas HofstadterSeriously, I've tried to get through this book 3 or four times. I've yet to succeed. It's interesting enough and important enough that I really really want to finish it, but my brain gets full before I can.

Goal #33 on my 101 in 1001 list includes making a top 10 list of books, music and movies. I'm going to start with movies. The rules for this is that they're not the 10 best movies I've ever seen, but merely the 10 movies that I consider my most favorite. These are movies that I can watch over and over again. I can quote them, and I just don't get tired of them. So, without further ado:

10) RoninChosing #10 was hard. On Netflix I have 76 movies that I've rated 5 stars. Almost all of them would qualify for this list. Ronin wins out for the most intense car chase I think I've ever seen. Combined with my love of Robert DeNiro and Jean Reno. It's an action movie with a huge amount of brains thrown in.

9) The Princess BrideIt's hard to not love this movie. It's funny, irreverent, touching, romantic, full of action. It's got pirates and princesses and swordfights and true love and Andre the Giant. By the end, you might even not mind the kissing parts so much. Also, I totally had the poster of The Fridge on my wall when I was in 6th Grade.

8) The Fifth ElementIn the future, everything is just a little bit more awsome. Including things like beuracracy, traffic, and your mom. When you're a regular guy who, thanks to a beautiful woman dropping in, has to save the universe (I mean, this happens to you all the time when you're Bruce Willis); you have to suck it up and save the world. And be totally awsome in the process.

7) Leon (aka The Professional)The hitman with the heart of gold. His fundamental rule is "No Women, No Children" anyone else is fair game. Like an eastern European ninja. But when a young girl needs his help, he turns his life upside down to rescue her. Not only from the bad guys, but from her own life.

6) Miracle on 34th Street"I believe. I believe. It's silly, but I believe." No matter what anyone says, there is magic in the world. It's entirely possible that a little old man named Kris Kringle is actually Santa Claus. It's faith in each other that makes magic possible. This would be higher on the list, but since I can only watch it between Thanksgiving and New Year, it doesn't go quite as high.

5) Office SpaceAnyone who's ever had a job that was more about doing time than doing what you love can identify with this movie. Sometimes, it's just not worth it. "Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work."

4) Ferris Bueller's Day OffSometime you need to take a day off. This movie is a story of friendship, loyalty, and in the end, it's about Cameron more than it's about Ferris. For Ferris, it's a fun day with is best friends, but for Cameron, it is, in a lot of ways, the begining of his life. It's also a bit of a love letter to the city of Chicago. "The question isn't 'what are we going to do,' the question is 'what aren't we going to do?'"

3) Top Gun"Too close for missles, I'm switching to guns." This was practically our battle cry in college. One of my closest friends (who is an actual pilot) and I watched this every time it was on TV, and even rented it a few times. We still watch this if it's on when we're hanging out together. It's not great film-making by any stretch, but I still tear up ever time when Goose hits the canopy.

2) The Usual SuspectsA line up of criminals that leads to a brilliant setup of corrupt cops. That in turn leads to an assult on boat. Which all turns out to be a setup. When you finally figure out "Who is Keyser Soze" it hits you like a brick to the skull. The first time I saw The Usual Suspects, I had to stop it a half hour before the end. When I came back and finished it, I rewound it and watched it again right away. It's that good.

1) The Wizard of OzWhen I was young, The Wizard of Oz was shown on TV once a year. It was a big occasion in our family. We got to stay up late to watch it. We had a big bowl of popcorn and made a major occasion out of it. Now with Tivo and DVDs, it's not quite the occasion that it used to be, but I still love sitting down and watching The Wizard of Oz. It's a beautiful movie, and it hold memories for me that make it even better.

So... what are your favorites, and why? Are there movies that you're surprised didn't make my list? Let me know!