I think for interesting content
and re-readability, Bill Brysons short history of nearly everything takes some beating.

I'm not a fiction fan. Hate poetry, I don't get it at all. If there's really nothing else to read, and I've already had a wank, I might look at a Michael Crichton book - timeline is fun.

Genius by James Gleik is a good one - well written Biography of a really fascinating man (Richard Feynman).

Don't have any avoids - if it's not good, I won't get past the first 10 pages.
(username failed moderation, Thu 5 Jan 2012, 15:23, 6 replies)

Pretty much anything Bryson has written.
It's all fantastic. I'd love it if he could do some more travel writing, but I also love his research stuff.
( Colonel Boris "...a desperate Buzzfeed imitation...", Thu 5 Jan 2012, 15:27, closed)

agreed
Richard Feynman's six easy pieces is available as an audiobook on iThings. It's a recording of him in 1960 giving introductory lectures on Physics and is one of the best things i have lisened to in ages... and i normally listen to the Nuts Podcast.

Byrson is King.
( lucosade is counting down the minutes until, Thu 5 Jan 2012, 15:44, closed)

He gets a mention or two in another interesting read
by Richard Rhodes - the making of the atom bomb.

Mostly to do with his safecracking hijinks, admittedly.

It's a good book though, tells the complete story without getting too bogged down in the physics.
(username failed moderation, Thu 5 Jan 2012, 16:24, closed)

I loved Bill Brysons short history of nearly everything
Mrs Duck however got throughly pissed off at me constantly firing off facts "did you know....."
(sittingduck Attention seeking, bullshitting fuck-knuckle, Thu 5 Jan 2012, 15:52, closed)

I love Bill Bryson
I'm just re-reading 'The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid'. I've lost count of the amount of times I've dipped into 'A Short History...'
( His Popiness the Hole Invaded Poland on, Mon 9 Jan 2012, 21:51, closed)

If you read just one page of a Bill Bryson book, you'll be hooked.
( eXOBeX, Wed 11 Jan 2012, 1:31, closed)