Jared Diamond: Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
World history driven by the unintended consequences of innovation (and other adoption curves).
Dava Sobel: Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
For anyone who's wondered why accurate, portable clocks are such historically important products
Joël Glenn Brenner: The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars
Fascinating history of an interesting competition involving compelling produces (e.g. M&M's vs. Reeses Pieces)