The Razor's Edge (W. Somerset Maugham)

This classic book book, published in 1944, follows the lives of a diverse cast of characters over a span of about 20 years. The central character is a young man whose experience in WWI has made him restless, searching for the true meaning of life. This quest sends him tramping across Europe and finally to India, where he finds enlightenment. The book is filled with people, each clearly drawn and complex, and all of them, from prostitutes to nobility, presented with unflinching affection. The locations, from Parisian drawing rooms to
German coal mines, are also vividly portrayed. While I was less impressed with the young man's sensibilities than my friends were, I truly enjoyed the seemingly effortless skill of the author in bringing it all to life.

Consciousness (Susan Blakmore)

This textbook goes into all the theories and controversies relating to the questions of consciousness. When I look at a sunset, what creates the experience of the colors? Who is the one doing the experiencing? What does it mean to experience these colors, as opposed to just registering and labeling them?  There are way more questions than answers on this amazingly complex issue. It's fun to think about, but it kind of makes my head hurt. And what does that mean, exactly? I certainly think about these questions differently than I did before!