&gt; […] recommendations for someone who is intelligent and thinks a lot, but has done almost no reading before (excluding school readings etc.) and wants catch up with the rest of humanity in terms of literature.<p>You are undoubtedly aware of books that are relevant to and liked by people in the STEM field; your list already shows this quite clearly. So I would say that you do <i>not</i> need any recommendations for books that would appeal specifically to your peers. On the contrary; while your list is not too bad (but very US-centric; e.g., Carnegie), it is the type of list you would hand an undergraduate <i>to prepare for his studies</i>.<p>That is a noble goal in itself, but has nothing to do with <i>catching up with the rest of humanity in terms of literature</i>.<p>My advice: go look for literature in the broadest sense, but cut down on the self-help and non-fiction. Find out about the classics you&#x27;ve missed out on or couldn&#x27;t appreciate in high school, and ask people in person about their recommendations. Have you considered asking a librarian at your local library?