Ditto to that one. And... if I may be so bold as to travel back to Middle School reads... Dragon's Blood and Heart's Blood, of Jane Yolen's Pit Dragon trilogy.. (didn't know it was a trilogy till I googled it... I'll have to go find the third one, A Sending of Dragons... >.<) I know everyone is sick to death of dragons, but these books are awesome and a great example of the best convergence of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
I personally think the book Crash, by Jerry Spinelli was the greatest book I've ever read. Of course, it's been so long. All I know is it inspired me to write.
Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy I think that's definitely one of the best pieces of American writing in the last fifty or so years.
