Many thanks for posting this list,can some one tell me where to find Hopper's "Nighthawks", Grant's "American Gothic", Wyeth's "Christina's World"? think the Bosch is usually called "The Garden of Earthly Delights".

Thanks
CW

Removed spam link - jw

Of course Pop-splat isn't on the list but would make a nice addition to it. If it was up to me I'd put it up there with 'Choke' as Chuck and Ian are similar authors.

What about Ratcatcher?

It used to be on the list.

One book I think is a nice addition to this fantastic list is Pop-splat, by South African author Ian Martin.
It is one of the few books I've ever read that really made me think and completely changed my view of society and how the world operates. Surprising, given the deceptively simple story: a wealthy businessman is murdered in yet another Johannesburg hijacking. The disturbed son thinks something fishy is on the go and decides to investigate. This precipitates a violent, over-the-top but also funny hell-ride across the country.
Sure, the narrative is entertaining and the book is easy to read as it's saturated with sick humour and violence. But on another level it is jam-packed with so many ideas that after I put the book down I spent a week digesting it all. Martin challenges everything from SUV drivers to religious fanatics to private schools and overpopulation. A lot of the ideas are subtly blended into the action in a comical way. For instance, during a violent break-in Martin uses the opportunity to attack snobbish art connoisseurs, calling a Madonna and Child painting 'Prostitute with baboon fetus.'
It's a weird combination - over-the-top, Quentin Tarantino-like thrills with world-changing ideas. But it really works.
To get an idea of the tone of the book, this is what the dedication says: "This book is dedicated to the youth in the hope they will reject the crappy values of their parents."
You can also get excerpts and the first chapter here: www.pop-splat.co.za