Lost At Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries

I'm usually more interested in fiction unless I'm researching a specific topic, but I found Lost at Sea to be hugely entertaining and thoughtful. Ronson is frequently hilarious (the opening chapter, an interview of Insane Clown Posse, had me cackling), and the book often feels like you're hearing someone tell a great story at a party.

On a more serious note, Ronson has two chapters about economic issues that everyone should read: “Who Killed Richard Cullen?,” about a man who committed suicide after his credit card debt spiraled out of control, and “Amber Waves of Green,” about economic inequality in America. They were published before the crash in 2008/09 and capture some of the absurdity of our economic system.