A) Be Novel:
First of All…
Did you know that one publisher turned down Pearl Buck’s The Good Earth because “Americans are not interested in anything on China”? Another rejected George Orwell’s Animal Farm because “it’s impossible to sell animal stories in the US”. These are compelling reasons to risk trying a debut novel from an unknown author.
The good earth by Buck, Pearl S. (Pearl Sydenstricker), 1892-1973
Animal farm by Orwell, George, 1903-1950
S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, published in 1967, describes the rift between upper and lower class teens and continues to be relevant today. Outsiders by Hinton, S. E. 
Fugitive pieces by Michaels, Anne, 1958-, won four awards the year it came out. 
Beautiful prose describing stories concealed in memory.
Snow falling on cedars by Guterson, David.. Palpable atmosphere set in 1950s with lingering memories of WWII, internment camps and racism.
B) Get Real
Mind, Body, Spirit.
The quest for personal growth can be a rewarding yet elusive pursuit. Fortunately, the Library has a great variety of titles to start you on your journey.
The The geography of bliss : one grump's search for the happiest places in the world by Weiner, Eric, 1963-, recounts the yearlong quest of a self-described grump to find the world’s happiest places. Charming, funny and illuminating.
Born to run : a hidden tribe, superathletes, and the greatest race the world has never seen by McDougall, Christopher, 1962- is McDougall’s exploration of how a hidden tribe of “superathletes” has 
found the key to happiness, health, and inner-peace, all though an inspiring love of long distance running and copious amounts of beer.
For a different perspective on speed, take the day off and spend a leisurely afternoon reading Carl Honore’s In Praise of Slow. He offers very insightful analysis on how we’ve become addicted to our fast-paced lifestyle.
In praise of slow : how a worldwide movement is challenging the cult of speed by Honore, Carl.
C) Try Something New
Pictu
res are Worth Thousands of Words.
Comic books can be much more than gentle entertainment. They have evolved from superhero escapism to novels of exceptional depth and humanity. Thanks in part to successful Hollywood adaptations as diverse as Watchmen by Moore, Alan, 1953- and Ghost world by Clowes, Daniel.graphics are reaching the mainstream.
The best American comics, 2008 by Barry, Lynda, 1956- represents the year’s most interesting graphic stories; a great introduction to the variety available in today's graphic fiction.
Shortcomings by Tomine, Adrian, 1974-is Adrian Tomine's witty and unsentimental look at falling out of and into love; a "Singles" for the comic book set.
In War's end : profiles from Bosnia, 1995-96 by Sacco, Joe.journalist Joe Sacco provides a graphic reporting of the Bosnian war, told through two stories from characters on both sides of the conflict.