A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of the most effective books that I have read. It just sticks with you. I don't necessarily like the message, but it is a masterful piece of literature. I read Bleakhouse a couple of years ago and enjoyed the characters in it. I really enjoyed Great Expectations. Dickens is fun stuff. I agree about the quality of Calvin and Hobbes. That book is like a warm blanket.
C&H is one of those works that made me really sad when I got to the end because there wasn't any more. Have you read any other Irving? Any suggestions? I haven't read Bleakhouse. I'll admit that I have only read Dickens (and most of the other literature I've read) because it was required for high school English classes. We read Great Expectation and A Tale of Two Cities, both of which I loved, but I haven't read any Dickens since. I guess I'll start with that!
Fair warning, Bleakhouse is expansive. You've really got to be in for the ride. I've read Cider House Rules, and I think one other Irving, but it's not coming to mind. I have heard great things about The World According to Garp, which I keep meaning to read.