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.