Why everybody is keen on the best 10 things

ImreKalo has a short post titled The best five books on everything over at his blog. This made me think. Mostly because of the fact, that a lot of information we consume is organized in lists. I think in the direction of "The best Android apps", "Blurays with superb sound" and the charts. Why is it that way?

 I have some theories, but I only present you with the best three ;-)

1. We want to know what others like and what trends exist out there.
2. Too much choice is agony - Have you ever tried to choose an apple out of 50 varieties
3. A small number of recommendations might give you enough insight into one topic, so you can work alone from that point.

So there is obviously the advantage, that other people made the decision which information is important. The did the work for you. Think FAQ, think Tips and Tricks, think Wikipedia. 

Remember: The content and quality of information is in the hands of the gatekeeper. The right 5 books can put you into the position to understand the main concepts of a topic, they do not make you an expert. To get an expert you have to read some more.

What is the maximum number of books you read on one single topic?