In nonfiction, my latest favorite is The Thing With Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They Reveal About Being Human by Noah Strycker.  I know I over-use the term but it is fascinating, about the behavior of birds and what they can do, and the history thrown in - just the part about carrier pigeons is worth it. It also ties in well with the DVD  Birders - The Central Park Effect by the author Jonathan Franzen, about the birdwatchers in Central Park.