* Africa Is Not a Country: Breaking Stereotypes of Modern Africa, by Dipo Faloyin -- Don't expect a sober recounting of African history: this book is a cri de coeur in the mold of Shashi Tharoor's An Era of Darkness. This eye-opening book will make you sad, angry, & (hopefully) thoughtful about the way Westerners talk about Africa. It will also inflict upon you a great craving for jollof rice. (If you're in the Canton area, I can recommend the Senegalese version at KG's African-American Grill.)

* Lessons, by Ian McEwan -- McEwan's best book in years. There's no Atonement-style twist at the end; this novel is just the reflection of a older man on the decades of his life and how they led to him to where he ended up. Long, yes, but thought-provoking and filled with elegant prose.

* Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver -- I am not usually a Kingsolver fan; I find her too didactic, moralistic to the point of self-righteousness. But it turns out that her teacherly voice is a perfect fit for the Victorian social novel. You'll probably enjoy this more if you have a good memory for the characters and events in David Copperfield, but even if you don't, Kingsolver has managed to tamp down the homiletics here, making for what is probably her best novel to date.

* Now Is Not the Time to Panic, Kevin Wilson -- A coming of age tale about a teenaged couple who make an arty, ambiguous poster with an ominous tagline and then stand back and watch it wreak havoc on the world. Frankie and Zeke are memorable characters who really come to life.