Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Armstrong

I'm not normally a big fan of nonfiction books, but this one is stellar. Using photos taken on the journey, Armstrong describes the voyage of Shackleton, an Antarctic explorer whose boat was crushed during an attempt to cross the continent. With luck, discipline, and some amazing math skills, Shackleton managed to keep his crew alive for a year on the ice and then facilitate their rescue. Not one person died in the adventure, despite the fact that this was 1914. A great read for any adventure buff.

Phineas Gage by Fleischman

This book is a work of non-fiction, but it's still very captivating. Phineas Gage was a railroad construction manager during the 1800s. In a freak accident, a 6 foot tamping iron was shot through Phineas's cheek and out the top of his head. He survived the accident, but his personality was altered for the rest of his life. The best thing about the book is all the pictures and diagrams. It's a very user-friendly book with lots of good information about the brain and medicine as it was in the 19th century. Readers who are easily grossed out by blood and gore probably would not enjoy this book.