It's basically a way to add an extremely thin layer of misdirection over what's fundamentally Amazon reminding you that you want to buy books on their site. (i.e. advertising). They're trying to catch as many different people in a carefully crafted "Hmmm, I always meant to read that, maybe I should buy it now to remind me" moment.
How is this is relevant to HN? It's probably not...
This is a list of good books you might want to look at. People who love to read also love to recommend books.
I would not be shocked if the editors at Amazon love to read.
Seriously, people.
It's probably a bit too pithy to say that reading them all will give you something to talk about at cocktail parties, but I think that's kinda where they're going with it. Any list that has both David Sedaris and Charles Dickens on it is not meant to be taken literally as THE LIST.
I've only read 33* of them, so I've still got a ways to go.
*humblebrag