Here are some books I have enjoyed tremendously.  They all have to do with the development of revolutionary scientific ideas and the interesting characters that figured them out.

 

  1. Five Equations That Changed the World: The Power and Poetry of Mathematics, Michael Guillen

 

  1. Parallax: The Race to measure the Cosmos, Alan Hirshfeld

 

  1. Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time, Dava Sobel

 

  1. Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman, James Gleick  (or anything about Richard Feynman)