I've had a good time recently with Sam Kean's science books: The disappearing spoon, a jolly 'tour' through the elements of the Periodic Table; The violinist's thumb, genetics, from earliest ignorance to what what fruit flies taught us yesterday, and Caesar's last breath, what we breath and pass, air and other gases.
Thoroughly researched, and the sort of writing that makes you think of happily cognac-ed conversations by the fire after a convivial dinner party. The end-notes are as enjoyable as the mains.