I wanted to learn German well enough so that I can read the poems of Rainer Maria Rilke. I was impressed by the rhythm of his words and was frustrated that I could not fully understand them.

I also thought I would read Goethe and Hesse. I tried Glasperlenspiel in German, but it bored me to death. After 6 years, it's still sitting on my shelf unread.

As for English... hmmm... I'm American, so I might suggest something like "Catcher in the Rye", "On The Road" by Jack Kerouac, or "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" by Tom Wolfe, or "The Autobiography of Malcolm X". Just for cultural/historical awareness.