So what I really want, is just a couple of recommendations from each of you. And since I'm asking around, I might as well make some recommendations of my own.
Dune by Frank Herbert. Any Sci-Fi fan ought to read this. It's vastly complex and thought-provoking, and even though some people find it dry I think it's exciting. People have mixed feelings about the books that follow. Personally, I fully embrace all six Dune books by the original author, and I think that the prequels and sequels co-authored by his son are all right but not excellent. In any case, however, the original is great.
Anything by Matthew Woodring Stover. I first learned of him through his Star Wars novels, and his novelization of Revenge of the Sith is excellent and I would recommend it to anyone, regardless of whether they liked the movie (or any Star Wars movie. Really. it's that good). But I know people tend not to believe me when I say that, so I also recommend Heroes Die, which is an excellent novel which blends Sci-Fi and Fantasy elements in a clever way with gripping and intense action scenes and characters that have fascinating psychologies. Warning: It's very violent. And tough to find, too, although Amazon does have it.
Getting Things Done by David Allen. This is a nonfiction book, almost self-help-ish but not really. Basically it sets out a set of principles for accomplishing work that are intuitive and logical and help you to maximize productivity. The way it works is by helping you deal with whatever's on your plate by getting it all out of your head and collecting, processing, and organizing it into a trusted system of reminders that you will review on a regular basis and will make sure you are always confident that what you are doing is what you need to be doing. It's aimed at busy professionals but the principles also apply to schoolwork, so it has helped me greatly as a student. It's also good for creative work. This book can make your life better if you let it. I sound like a cult leader now so I'll stop.
So, just a couple books that I'd recommend. Now you. Maybe something you just read that's been on your mind or maybe something you read years ago that has stayed with you.
Time Traveller
