The Matthew Scudder thrillers by Lawrence Block - tight continuity over a 30+ year period, stylish noir writing and outstanding characterization. 16 books and not a bad one yet.
The Dark Tower series by Stephen King - excluding the disappointment of the final 1 and a half books, one of the best finite series ever.
The "Prey" series with Lucas Davenport by John Sandford - Solid crime fiction reminiscent of the better, earlier Spencer novels.
Greg Rucka's Atticus Kodiak books - well crafted and clever.
The Stand by Stephen King - The pinnacle of his work, in my opinion. Though, for a shorter but still enjoyable read, I'd recommend Needful Things
The "What to Expect" series of child care books - Takes much of the mystery and fear out of child rearing from pre-birth to toddler stage. Absolutely essential reading for any mother- and father-to-be.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X - I try to read this book once every couple of years. Excellent, if a bit dated, book on race and perception in America.
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison - read it 20 years ago for a contemporary lit class and it's still one of the finest novels I've ever read.
A Season Inside by John Feinstein - Does a great job of capturing the essence of big time college basketball in the 80s.
King Con by Stephen Cannell - Great caper book. If you liked the movie "Confidence", you'll like this book. Probably doesn't deserve to be in the company of the above mentioned books but it popped into my head so it makes the list.
