#18. "Wiseguy" by Nicholas Pileggi

By now, everyone has accepted that director Martin Scorsese's GoodFellas is one of the greatest films of all time, even rivaling The Godfather as the best mafia movie in existence. Who could deny its charm, from the music to the dialogue to the iconic directing? However, there's a more basic reason that becomes clear when reading Nicholas Pileggi's "Wiseguy," of which the film was based on. Protagonist Henry Hill is a fascinating character not because he exists in a mythical world of cinema where anything is possible. No, he is someone who existed in such a heightened way that it's hard to believe he was real - even as his lack of documented existence would suggest. Pileggi lets the story play out through Hill's own words and ends up creating one of the most powerful and real looks into mob life ever set to page. In some ways, Hill is an envious deity who never got what's coming to him. And that's what makes him an incredible figure to write about.

#17. "IT" by Stephen King

Part of the allure to Stephen King as a writer is his ability to warp anything to his sensibility. Over his career, he's reinvented teen angst ("Carrie"), haunted houses ("The Shining"), rabid dogs ("Cujo"), and even alternate dimensions ("The Dark Tower" series). The concept may be hokey, but it has made him one of the most recognized and adapted authors in history. Still, there was no bigger challenge than finding a way to make "IT" scary. After all, IT is a two letter word that could encompass anything, good or bad. In a King book, it is ALWAYS going to be bad. Using the phrase "Don't talk about it." as a jumping off point, he delves into one of his lengthiest and most excessive books of his entire career, serving as his definitive masterwork and sloppiest book simultaneously. It is a fascinating read, if it isn't always satisfying.