Articles that enlighten.

• A mathematical theory of communication by Claude E. Shannon. This is one of the landmark papers the last century, and it defined the basis of a new field: information theory. It is very readable.
• Data Communications: The First 2500 Years by Gerald J. Holzmann. This paper, presented at the 1994 IFIP World Computer Congress, details the development of data protocols over the course of human civilization. Goes to show that all this network stuff isn't as new as we would like to think.
• They Write the Right Stuff by Charles Fishman. This article describes the NASA process for developing code for the space shuttle. If you have ever developed code for a large-scale project, the process described in the article will provide a rather stark contrast.

Books that rock.

• Pattern Recognition by William Gibson. Actually, I finished up this book within the first few days of release, but recently I had the chance to see Mr. Gibson at a book signing, so it deserves a second mention. I have been reading his work for many years, and his prose/form has been an inspiration to me... so having the opportunity to meet him was a pretty big honor. And if he is reading this very comment... I can think of two other ways to do what you were asking about, and they may be a bit more appealing in text.
• A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn
• Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond
• Jennifer Government by Max Barry