Visions and Longings: Medieval Women Mystics edited by Monica Furlong (nonfiction 1996)

Wonderful compilation with intelligent commentary.

The Grammar of God by Aviya Kushner (nonfiction 2015)

Amazing book about a woman who grew up reading the Bible in Hebrew and discussing it with her family.  She later takes a class about the Bible in English and is struck by similarities and differences in translations.  The book is almost a memoir, almost a linguistic analysis, all super neat.

The Fires of Vesuvius: Pompeii Lost and Found by Mary Beard (nonfiction 2008)

All the gold stars.  Ms. Beard is my favorite classical historian because she's skeptical.  She's an expert on Pompeii and I think people should read this book before they go.  When she does go off on an analytical flight of fancy, she provides plenty of evidence to think about.

The Pope's Daughter by Dario Fo (historical fiction 2014)

This award-winning book by a theater guy about Lucrezia Borgia suffers from choppiness that may be a result of the translation, but it's a lot of fun.  It really tries to see the real girl behind all the crazy stories.

A New History of Early Christianity by Charles Freeman (nonfiction 2009)

Really great stuff, scholarly and accessible.  This is interesting.