Hawk's Rest Gary Ferguson Nat. Geographic Naturalist Gary Ferguson weaves the threads of his summer spent at a remote backcountry cabin into a vivid tapestry of wilderness experience in "Hawk's Rest." The amazing natural beauty, the wildlife, the politics and conflicts of the endless stream of visitors come together to provide the reader with a portrait of a wild place vibrantly alive and passionately loved.

 
 Cool As I Am
Pete Fromm
Picador

Set in a small town with not much to do but "go to the falls," "As Cool as I Am" tells the story of Lucy, a teenager who is trying to make sense of her parents' unconventional relationship while she figures out how to grow up all on her own. Pete Fromm's Lucy is tough, funny and courageous, teetering on the edge of adulthood amidst adults who are trying to recapture their youth. Hers is a coming-of-age story many of us will recognize as our own.

Bold Spirit
Linda Lawrence Hunt
Univ. of Idaho Press

Helga Estby set out on foot to cross the country in 1896, propelled by a fierce determination to win a $10,000 wager and save the family farm. This true account, beautifully written by Linda Hunt, tells the compelling tale of a mother's harrowing journey to New York City. Despite her triumph, only heartbreak and censure awaited back home. This pioneer woman's story has resonated with readers, inspiring many to weave their own family histories.

Devil in the White City
Erik Larson
Random House

Erik Larson uses the backdrop of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair to juxtapose the fascinating, parallel stories of the Fair's visionary architect and the serial killer who used the Fairgrounds to lure his victims. "The Devil in the White City" is a literary tour de force, examining both America on the verge of modernity and two men who defined the extremes of the century to come.

Set This House in Order Matt Ruff HarperCollins Matt Ruff isn't crazy, but in his new novel, "Set This House in Order," he writes a convincing portrait of someone with a multiple personality disorder. Andy Gage and the hundred personalities in his head form unique characters that are vibrant and totally believable. This complex but cohesive story of self-discovery takes an unexpected twist towards the end that leaves the reader rethinking everything, producing a brilliant novel worth reading again and again.

Jarhead
Anthony Swofford
Scribner

In his searing memoir "Jarhead," Anthony Swofford examines his life as a marine in the first Gulf War with unflinching honesty, and explores the unsettling aftershocks of that life-changing experience with clarity and biting wit. Swofford writes of the savagery of war with an unexpected beauty that lingers long after finishing the book.

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