Hmmmmm - lots of books that really grabbed me in the lists posted by others - Thorne and Oz in particular named a lot of my favourites.

In addition, anything by Modesit and deLint. I've read (and reread deLint's books til they fell apart over the years).

Barry Hughart - I've read "Bridge of Birds", "Eight Skilled Gentlemen" and "The Story of the Stone" so many times it isn't funny. I have never been able to get my hands on "The Chronicles of Master Li and Number 10 Ox". It is available - but very rare (and quite expensive). They are rolicking good 'detective' fiction set in a China that never was.

On a serious note, and since this topic has been moved to the religion section for some wierd reason, "Identity and the Sacred" by Hans Mols (a brilliant look at the structure and sociology of theology).

And the books that hit me hardest between the eyes:
"Down These Mean Streets" by Piri Thomas (the autobiography of Piri Thomas, a Latino of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent who grew up in El Barrio [aka Spanish Harlem]).
"The Last Poet of the Blaskets"
and Pieg (more poetry by a Blasket poet - the mother of the man known as "The :ast Poet of the Blaskets")