[OJFord]

My feeling on that is that unless you're a prolific reader, the annual best-of lists are a waste of time. If you want to read the best when you do, and that isn't much, then most years there isn't a single book published that you should ever read.

There are plenty of classics that people still recommend; I find they're generally a better read than anything current, and they have utility in exposing you to the context/background/meaning for things people reference from them.