Factory Girls - A book about the life of women who are migrant workers in China, but telling their stories largely through their eyes and sharing their perspective on what it means to leave their villages and go to cities with endless factories and difficult working conditions. The author, Lesley Chang, worked for the Wallstreet Journal in China for ten years before writing this book and her style is fluid, journalistic story telling, not academic or dry. It has certainly changed the way I look at the migrant workers I see on a daily basis.
The Geography of Bliss - Another book by a journalist, Eric Weiner. He sets out to travel around the world's happiest places and learn about why people are happy by looking at their lifestyles and environments and trying to experience some of what it is in each place. Also goes to Moldova, as the least happy place. It's also written in an informal, journalistic sort of style and avoids giving the topic an academic treatment. Also, doesn't preach about what we should do, but just makes a few enlightening observations about the simple conditions that surround happiness in different parts of the world.
The Element - If you are familiar with Ken Robinson (possibly from his TED talk
"Schools Kill Creativity") then you will probably already be familiar with his ideas. If you're not, go watch his talk on TED to decide if you'd be interested in him, I believe it's among the most popular ever on TED. This is basically his book about how people find things they're passionate about and what effect that has on their lives. It's an enjoyable read and deals with the topic in a lighthearted and humourous way.