I have been reading a lot of running books lately and in an idle moment yesterday I compiled my top 20 list (not including my own, of course). No training manuals, and a couple are not strictly purely running-only books, but here goes ... (drum roll please) ...

[caveat 1: There are lots of running books I still haven't read that may deserve to be on this list]
[caveat 2: I know there are not many female writers on it. I'm sorry and I'm trying to read more]
[caveat 3: please don't hate me ... this is just a bit of fun]

20. A Life Without Limits - Chrissy Wellington
19. Once A Runner - John L Parker Jr
18. Little Warrior - Giuseppe Catozzella

17. Running with the Buffaloes - Chris Lear
16. Running Free - Richard Askwith
15. Running Home - Katie Arnold

14. The Perfect Distance - Pat Butcher
13. Born to Run - Christopher McDougall
12. 26.2 Miles to Happiness - Paul Tonkinson
11. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - Alan Sillitoe

All 20 of these books are great, by the way, and all recommended ...

OK, top ten ...
10. The Ghost Runner - Bill Jones
9. Today We Die A Little - Richard Askwith

8. Footnotes - Vybarr Cretan-Reid
7. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - Haruki Murakami

6. Two Hours - Ed Caesar
5. Iron War - Matt Fitzgerald

Sorry, I spelled Vybarr's name wrong (thanks @dhammonia) ... it should be
8. Footnotes - Vybarr Cregan-Reid

These next two may surprise a few people ...)
4. The Runner - Markus Torgeby
3. Barefoot Runner - Paul Rambali

And finally ... da da da ...
2. Feet in the Clouds - Richard Askwith
1. Endure - Alex Hutchinson