Is this kind of "general chat" question allowed? If it is then I'll start the ball rolling. I'm thinking of books of the Popular Science genre that seems to have sprung up in the last 20-plus years, rather than specialist or text-book type publications.

I recommend About Time by Paul Davies. An absolutely fascinating read and one of those rare books on the subject of time, relativity, physics and space that will hold your attention from cover to cover even if you're not a physicist or mathematician.