<p>The James Bond series by Ian Fleming. Anything by Terry Pratchett.</p>
<p>What about the Flashman series by George MacDonald Fraser.</p>
<p>I also wonder if mainemom’s group might like Endurance by Alfred Lansing. It might be a bit of a slog but they’ll never forget it, especially those sea leopards.</p>
<p>Flight of Passage by Rinker Buck. True story of two brothers who rebuilt a Piper Cub and flew it from NJ to CA back in the 60’s at the age of 17 and 15.</p>
<p>I’d recommend The Book Thief</p>
<p>Two caveats: The Miles Vorkosigian series by Lois McMasters Bujold is outrageously wonderful but has some sadistic sexual elements. A better choice of her work would be the Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls. The Flashman series is also absolutely brilliant (and boy will you learn history!) but again has considerable sexual content and his attitude toward women is use 'em and lose 'em. Just take a look before you hand them to anyone under 18! </p>
<p>I echo the praise of Terry Pratchett. There’s also the Foundation Books, To Kill a Mockingbird, and mysteries from the Golden Age, including Christie, Carter Dickson (or Dickson Carr), and Sayers which teach a great deal about logic and precision of thought.</p>
<p>I think it’s a good age for Catcher in the Rye. That’s the age at which my mother gave it to me, and I to my son. Although some have it assigned in English class at about that time or a year later.</p>
<p>If he is likes history/military novels, my S enjoyed the revisionist history books by Harry Turtledove.</p>
<p>Endurance is the UVA summer reading book for engineers this year. I therefore read it and while I enjoyed it, I think it might be too slow for many. </p>
<p>I vote for Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime. I saw that recommended here and absolutely loved it, as did my husband and nonreader rising 11th grader. Very easy read, but unforgettable.</p>
<p>For advance readers, here is my list based on some of the books my daughter read during her first year high school year. </p>
<p>Nonfiction:
Arthur Schlesinger’s Robert Kennedy and His Times
Caroline Alexander’s Endurance (with Hurley’s Photography)
Apsley Cherry-Garrard’s The Worst Journey in the World
Herodotus’s The Histories
Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War</p>
<p>Fictions:
Pat Barker’s Regeneration
Anthony Chekov: Short Stories
Honore de Balzac’s Pere Goriot
Stendhal’s The Charterhouse of Parma</p>