[JohnGalt]

Slaughterhouse 5 was mentioned a few times as well, but I second that. You mentioned sci-fi - I'm not a huge sci-fi reader, but Walter Tevis is interesting and a very simple read - Mockingbird and the Man Who Fell to Earth are good. I didn't catch your age, but I really identified with The Catcher in the Rye as a young man (teenagers are really the primary target.) The Hunchback of Notre Dame hadn't been mentioned, it's a toughtfull, more dramatic read, but very enjoyable. If you like adventure, you won't go wrong with Rafael Sabatini (the Seahawk is a great swashbuckler/revenge story,) or Dumas (i'd personally reccomend the Count of Monte Cristo over any of the Da'Artagnan romances.) I'd also suggest the Once and Future King (arthurian epic - modern English and very readable.)