The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test & The Right Stuff - Tom Wolfe

Two super journalistic near novels by Wolfe. The first follows a group of Hippies rampaging around the west in the late 60s, just as the wave was breaking. The second is about American test pilots competing for positions on the first space flights. They are both exciting, fun, serious works. Wolfe's style is masterful and completely unique and he is worth reading for those reasons alone, but his eye for character and superb, absurd situations are equally fantastic. I think the Right Stuff is better, but go with whichever topic is more interesting to you.