"Lonesome Dove" by Larry McMurtry
(or actually anything he's written).
"The Stand" and all the Dark Tower books by Stephen King (I've been reading his work my entire life and continue to try to convince the literary snobs I come across that he is about more than just terrifying his readers...So, if you want to be amused, entertained and yes, frightened give his books a chance to do all three).
Civil War books...
"The Black Flower", "Year of Jubilo", and "The Judas Field" all by Howard Bahr
"The Widow of the South" by Robert Hicks
"The March" by E.L. Doctorow
Humor
Anything by Christopher Moore...he will make you laugh until you cry. His latest book is "A Dirty Job".
Other must read books are "Bloodsucking Fiends", "The Stupidest Angel" and "The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove".