[RunDownHouse]

Fiction: The Kite Runner came out not too long ago and is a really good read, especially if you don't know much about Afghanistan, like I didn't.

Non-fiction: Sperm Wars, By Dr. Robin Baker. A must read, and very easy to follow even if you don't know anything about evolutionary biology.

A Confederacy of Dunces, as suggested by someone else, is my favorite of the others that have been mentioned so far.