The New Deal by Michael Hiltzik

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean

This engaging, intriguing book was completely ruined for me by one footnote.  (Think of a pin popping a balloon.)  

The text mentions the Mormonism of Kim Peek (who was the inspiration for the Dustin Hoffman character in Rain Man), and in one short footnote, Kean makes about a half dozen major factual errors about Mormonism.  (Seriously:  the error-to-word ratio was astounding.)  And, of course, this isn't really about one footnote:  When you read something so hideously inaccurate about a topic you do know something about, you are then left wondering:  How many hideous errors litter this book in the topics that I don't know as much about?

The publisher gave me a digital review copy of this book.

Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer

 I loved this book: quirky characters, quirky plot, quirky writing, and quite possibly the only not-lame love story in the entire history of the universe.  Please read this.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian

You wouldn't think a romance set smack in the middle of the Armenian genocide would work, but it did.  This was gripping and lovely.

Note:  The publisher provided me with a digital review copy of this book.

The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

 Pretty good.

Darwin's Ghost by Rebecca Stott

meh.

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

 I adored this book.  Recommended.

The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell

 Fun.  

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

An excellent premise ruined by over-the-top plot elements (one in particular) and too much vulgarity.

The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore

 Very interesting.

Some of My Best Friends Are Black by Tanner Colby

You would not have expected a book about integration to be fascinating, honest, and funny.  But it was.  Recommended.

The publisher provided me a digital review copy of this book.

An Economist Gets Lunch by Tyler Cowen

Decent.

What We Talk about When We Talk about Anne Frank by Nathan Englander

I normally have a strict "no short stories" policy.  For some reason I decided to violate it.  Some of these stories were excellent--thought-provoking and funny, with a quirky edge.

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

I can't even tell you how much I loved this book.

I have a real soft spot for "alternative bias" histories.  Which isn't to say that I believe every word of them; I just find it so refreshing to see the usual story reframed.  Every student of American history should read this book.  Highly recommended.

Birdseye by Mark Kurlansky

Decent, but Kurlansky always seems to take a fascinating topic and ruin it by including exactly the wrong details.

Zoobiquity by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz and Kathryn Bowers

 Very interesting.

Warning:  Just in case you thought this would be an interesting family book, you should know that there is a lot about s-e-x in here.  I don't think it was inappropriate for adults (it was clinical, not lascivious), but it would be a bit much for kids and even younger teens.

Side note:  my reading habits have changed quite a bit recently.  I've mostly been listening to non-fiction, on 2x speed, checked out of the library through Overdrive, while I do needlework.

The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

 This was pretty good.

Quiet by Susan Cain

So here's a story:  I've had this book forever (as a review copy), but just couldn't get into it because the intro made it seem like it was going to be a self-help book, and there's nothing I dislike as much as a self-help book.  So I set it aside.

Then, one by one, all of my friends started raving about this book.  Just raving.  So I gave it another try.  And . . . it is one of my all-time favorite books.  Seriously, I've never thought a book described me as well as this one did--I kept wanting to shout out "Yes!" and "Yeah!" as I was reading.  It wasn't self-help-y after all--it was far more philosophical and psychological. It was also excellent social criticism.

If you are an introvert, or if you have to live with one, you really need to read this.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough

 Decent.

The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones

 Weird and unlikable.

That Used to Be Us by Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum

 I read this for book group.  I find it virtually impossible to express an opinion on a book that was so wide-ranging.  Some of it was profound, some shallow.  Some innovative, some obvious. Some I agreed with, some I didn't. Lots of good anecdotes.  I do think it would be a great primer for someone who is completely clueless about current events.  (And I also think they are pretty naive about possible solutions.)

Nightwoods by Charles Frazier

 This was good.  Not great, but good.

The Earth Moved by Amy Stewart

 I read this along with Simon for his schoolwork.  I liked it.

The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D by Nichole Bernier

The prose was often clumsy and the subplots felt tacked on, but somehow I was captivated by this book.

Note:  The publisher provided me with a digital review copy of this book.

What Money Can't Buy by Michael Sandel

 Important and fascinating--everybody should read this, and I think everyone would enjoy it.  (And, for us, a great spur for family discussions.)  Highly recommended.