Crowdsourcing request – SF books for newbies

I’ve had a request recently that I put together a list of good books to get people started towards becoming knowledgeable readers of SF.

I know the inner logic, conventions, and history of SF extremely well – I trust that this is manifest in the reviews I write. I believe I’m excellently qualified to curate such a list and explain why each entry belongs in it.

What I am not sure of is that, through over-familiarity with the field, I won’t miss obvious candidates. So I’m going to crowdsource the nominations. Please leave title/author info in a comment; optionally, add a sentence or two about why you think it belongs. More than one suggestion per comment is OK.

Here are some guidelines:

* Do not propose books simply because you think they are matchless classics: many matchless classics are advanced material not suitable for newbies. (This might be another list)

* Do not propose books simply because they are historically important; much historically important SF is a harder-than-necessary slog for the new reader. (This too might be another list.)

* Not interested in fantasy unless it’s the sort of hard fantasy that appeals to SF fans. If you don’t understand this category, don’t try recommending fantasy at all.

* Do not propose anti-SF – that is, books marketed as SF that are deliberately hostile to the genre’s traditions. (This lets out almost all “New Wave” and its present-day descendants.)

* Must be in print. Best if it’s available as a low-cost e-book, to reduce barriers to entry.

* Juvenile and YA fiction is not excluded but examples worthy of this list should be rewarding for adults as well.

Let the mayhem begin.