The Good Soldiers by David Finkel (Picador $15) A spellbinding account of an Army battalion (average age 19) stationed in a violent neighborhood in Baghdad during the surge of 2007-8. On many 2009 "best books" lists.

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Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer (Anchor $15.95) When Tillman was killed by "friendly fire" in Afghanistan in 2004, his uniform and belongings were burned and his family was repeatedly lied to in a cover-up by General McChrystal and other officers.

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The Siege by Ismail Kadare, translated by David Bellos (Canongate $15) The winner of the Man Booker International Prize and a Nobel contender. Kadare is Albania's most distinguished novelist. Originally published in 1970, this novel tells the story of a thwarted Ottoman siege of an Albanian fortress in the 15th century. "Extraordinary: an epic with the force of myth and the delicacy of a miniature…. You could read THE SIEGE every year for a lifetime and find something new each time…. A masterpiece.”
(The Telegraph)

Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman (Doubleday $25.95) Though this book begins with the horrific death of a newly wed couple, most of the story explores the stages of grief among various family members over a span of four years. Ayelet Waldman skillfully and elegantly studies the aftermath of the tragedy while weaving in topics of life’s finer pleasures—music, food, flowers, and literature. The plot gives many surprises as a harmony of life is restored. -- Sandra

The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway (Riverhead $15) For a quick, easy read, this novel is surprisingly deep and thought-provoking. While the title is based on an actual incident during the siege of Sarajevo, it is through his three fictional characters that Galloway gives us a glimpse of the fear and chaos of the life under siege. The beauty of the novel lies in the evolution of its heroes' struggle for survival-- struggle that at first centers on basic human needs for food, water and safety, but evolves into a desperate attempt to preserve their own humanity and the dignity of their beloved Sarajevo.
-- Vicki

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Anything But Typical by Norah Raleigh Baskin (Simon & Schuster $15.95) This is the story of Jason Blake, an autistic 12-year-old, told to us by Jason himself. As a former special-ed teacher, I was reminded of the honesty, insight & intelligence of children we "typicals" frequently underestimate. His story will both move and challenge readers. (ages 10-14+)
-- Anne

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