[Skipbidder]

Judging from the books on the list, you may have already read some of these:

Fiction first:

Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen R. Donaldson (first book in a series). His protagonist is complex and interesting. There's a rough patch early on in this first book. You might find yourself wanting to quit the book (and being angry at me for recommending it). Get through this section. It is worth it.

Douglas Adams wrote two books about a detective named Dirk Gently. Long Dark Teatime of the Soul and Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.

Rumpole of the Bailey by John Mortimer. There are several short stories available. These are also nice to listen to in the car.

Nonfiction:

Any of Bill Bryson's books, but only if read by the author.

Carl Sagan's Demon-Haunted World. He captures the wonder of science and his feelings about pseudoscience and quackery without getting condescending or preachy.

James Randi's Faith Healers. Randi has the same side of the issue regarding pseudoscience and quackery, but is quite frequently condescending and preachy. In this book, he describes the way he busted religious fraud Peter Popoff. (This story got lifted, without credit or payment, for the movie Leap of Faith.)

Prisoner's Dilema. Half game-theory, half biography of Von Neumann.

Partnership Bidding at Bridge by Robson and Segal. (Probably not such a good suggestion, since I doubt you play bridge. It is, however, easily the best bridge book that is not well-known.)