The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin

Fabulous book. Everyone should read it.

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

Very interesting. His almost-final declaration that, "See, there's absolutely nothing wrong with kids experimenting with drugs," was eyerollingly stupid (okay, so their chances of getting addicted are small, but that's hardly the only reason it's not such a good idea), but that's the only thing I remained unconvinced about in the entire book. Definitely a good read.

In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson

Loved it. But I've loved everything of his I've read. I love the travel/comedy mix. And as someone in book club pointed out, he's writing about common, normal things; he doesn't experience anything extraordinary on his travels. However, he manages to make it seem fascinating and fun. That's quite a skill. (Also, this is technically a re-read for me, but it was just as fun to read it this time around as the first time.)

Dreams of My Father by Barack Obama

I expected to dislike it. I'm sick of hearing about Obama. But it's actually quite interesting.

Bonds That Make Us Free by C. Terry Warner

Pretty good. Probably would be better if I had a husband and kids I could use it with. It makes sense, though.

Chindi by Jack McDevitt

I liked it. I could not in good conscience call this quality literature, but it was enjoyable fluff of the sci-fi persuasion.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Loved it. Gaiman is my favorite author, so the chances I would like it were high. It's a kid's book, so it's a quick, easy read, but it's plenty enjoyable for adults.

The Engines of God by Jack McDevitt

Mediocre science fiction, to be sure, but I enjoyed it.

The Shack by Wm. Paul Young

Meh. Maybe it's just too allegorical for my tastes, but this one didn't do anything for me. I didn't hate it, but... meh.

Do Travel Writers Go to Hell? by Thomas Kohnstamm

I liked it a lot, even though the author is clearly a fool.

The City by Joel Kotkin

I liked it. It's a short, concise overview of cities. Definitely a survey book, not anything indepth, but it's a good introduction.

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

I enjoyed it. I find Taoism interesting, and this is an interesting way to approach it.

Elsewhere, U.S.A. by Dalton Conley

Subtitled, "How we got from the company man, family dinners, and the affluent society to the home office, blackberry moms, and economic anxiety."

Meh. Interesting enough to read, but I'm not sure I'm convinced.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

Loved it! I didn't expect to love this book - romance during a hostage situation - but I did. The author is incredibly talented at working with language. For much of what I've read lately, language is a tool. In this book, language is an art. It was like reading an orchestra. And I loved the story as well. I'd never read anything by her before this one, and now I have two of her books in my to-be-read pile.