At a time when the Paris Hilton “US Weekly” cover is considered must-read literature, Rebecca Reynolds still finds time to curl up with a good book … or 10.

Reynolds, a sophomore political science and psychology major, said she likes her page-turners to have a more cynical take on things.

Reynolds said she is typically drawn to darker, pessimistic books or books focusing on critiques of socieity and the state of man.

“Really, if it’s rich in psychology, political theory or philosophy, I’m all over it,” she said.

Here are Reynolds’ top 10 favorite books:

10. “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown – “I decided to read this after hearing all the attention it was getting nationally. After reading it, I understood why. Not only was it an exciting thriller, it exposed some resonant controversial theories about Christianity.”

9. “Miss Nelson is Missing” by Harry G. Allard – “This is a rather simple story I remember from when I was little. Miss Nelson is an abused elementary school teacher that takes leave for a week. Her substitute is a dark and authoritative witch who demands respect and order.”

8. “Walden Two” by B.F. Skinner – “‘Walden Two’ is a story that questions the possibilities of utopia, character molding and supreme psychological and scientific control. In the end, I am convinced perhaps life could be perfect if all men would give way to centralized communal control. Then I remember Russia.”

7. “Hannibal” by Thomas Harris – “If you liked the movie, you will love the book. Much of the story line is the same, but the book provides a richer look into a psychopath’s mind.”

6. “Different Dances” by Shel Silverstein – “This book addresses many social, political and lifestyle critiques through poetry and illustrations that amuse and give way to chuckles on a page to page basis.”

5. “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” by Robert M. Pirsig – “I am currently immersed in this book and find myself constantly questioning the choices I make. Pirsig attempts to answer the question, ‘how should one live?’ and, thus far, has shown that the simple focus of quantity instead of quality in today’s society is a problem that troubles him and handicaps man on a character level.”

4. “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck – “‘Of Mice and Men’ was a high school read that stuck with me over the years and is occasional on my summer reading list. In my younger years, it presented moral issues that challenged and encouraged me to understand the many sides to weigh when taking any opinionated stance”

3. “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss – “Aside from teaching millions of children to read with his vibrant and colorful silly stories, often Dr. Seuss was able to fuse fiction with reality and make statements to children through stories they are capable of understanding.”

2. “Lullaby” by Chuck Palahniuk – “Chuck Palahniuk is famous for his dark comedy and underlying social critiques. His focus in ‘Lullaby’ is the diffusion of the media in our society. This is a grim story that illustrates the decay of the human condition and mocks the media’s power.”

1. “Ishmael” by Daniel Quinn – “A philosophical book that addresses many current problems that plague society or rather, that society is a problem that plagues the earth. It is written as a dialogue and has an urgent call for change that is rather persuasive and pulls you further in as you read on.”