Good books that teach and entertain?

This one’s fun:

The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World

It’s laugh out loud funny and along the way you do pick up some both useful and sometimes useless knowledge.

The Year of Living Biblically

The book of General Ignorance It’s not exactly a religious book, but there are quite a few facts about the bible in it.

If you’re at all interested in how science and religion interact (meaning the controversies between the two and how they should both dynamically be used to explain phenomena in the world) then definitely check out Rock of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life by Stephen Jay Gould. It’s an interesting read and makes you think of science and religion in a different way.

Animal Farm by George Orwell is one of my favorites in this category.

I guess it depends on the audience. I am a 37-year old man with no kids, but I find a lot of children’s books are deeply philosophical in an overt and simple manner. Like, ‘The Little Prince’ or ‘Horton Hears a Who’ or ‘The Monster at the End of this Book.” These books are simple and entertaining, but also heartfelt and inspiring.

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand is a good read.

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

Lord of the Flies

Didn’t the OP ask for recommendations for books that were ” fun to read?” Maybe it’s just me, but some of these books, well I personally wouldn’t necessarily put them in the “fun to read” category.

Ah, well he also asked about religion and philosophy. “Fun” and “religion and philosophy” are not commonly used in the same sentence.

Sati

All of Dan Millman’s books

A lot of religion and philosophy books are written in clear, easy to understand and fun to read graphic novel formats like this this and this

Any of the Dorling Kindersley books on religion and philosophy

Beliefnet.com is a good place to explore different religions

Then my favorite, The Tao of Pooh and Te of Piglet

Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar

Joy of gay sex.