I have read none of the books on the first list, but 4 of 5 on the second, is it something wrong with me?
To be more serious. All the books on the second list comes from people that were signinficant contributors to the field the book is about. That does not automatically make them good writers. All of the books on the second list is on the dryer end of the scale. I would recommend Appel's compiler book instead of the Dragon Book for example, even if it is less comprehensive. The Dragon book is written in an extremly confusing way (some oldtime compiler people have even described it as confused, esp in first edition).
To be more serious. All the books on the second list comes from people that were signinficant contributors to the field the book is about. That does not automatically make them good writers. All of the books on the second list is on the dryer end of the scale. I would recommend Appel's compiler book instead of the Dragon Book for example, even if it is less comprehensive. The Dragon book is written in an extremly confusing way (some oldtime compiler people have even described it as confused, esp in first edition).