Non-Fiction

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.  [Ed: Almost a top pick, but I doubted you all needed this list to know  that this book existed.]  “Unsurprisingly, Jobs managed to channel the communication about his life even after his death. The man was brilliant and unapologetically mean at the same time. Undoubtedly he and some of his designers have changed the world --- I would agree for the better! Yet I cannot like the man.  The story of Apple is fascinating, also from the business management perspective.” And: “deeper themes about beauty and taste and the idea that great products can create their own demand.”  And: “A compelling story of our generation's genius, who is undeniably brilliant but who is also cruel, quirky and insecure.  The backdrop of coming of age in Silicon Valley, his deep scars from being given up for adoption, his devotion to his adoptive parents, and the story of Jobs and Gates complex relationship made this a page turner for me :)  I also loved learning about the evolution of Apple's products and Jobs impact on the music, computer, and movie industries.”

The Still Point of the Turning World by Emily Rapp.  “The heart wrenching story of a mother with a child diagnosed with the fatal Tay Sachs Disease. Sad and profoundly human.”

Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Greg Mortenson. "A follow-on to Mortenson's first book, this is his account of the amazing lengths people will go to for the opportunity of an education, and describes the work of his remarkable crew." (Since this book was published, the author was exposed on 60 Minutes - read about that before you purchase).

Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiographyby Rob Lowe. "His book is a terrific fun read. It is juicy without being trashy and his insights about himself, others and Hollywood prove that he is intelligent and thoughtful as well as adorable."

Strength in What Remainsby Tracy Kidder. "Amazing true story of how a young man escapes the genocide in Burundi/Rwanda and builds a life for himself in the U.S. starting with absolutely nothing. Truly inspirational."

Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert. This is one of those books in the Malcolm Gladwell tradition. (He wrote Blink and theTipping Point, both of which I think were recommended in years past). I enjoyed this book, but like others in this category, I tend to put them down once I get the gist. "Stumbling…" is about what bad predictors we are of what will make us happy. It's not a self-help book, more of an interesting discussion of memory and the brain, and how that affects our perspective. He explains complicated ideas well.

Suffering Succotash: A Picky Eater's Quest to Understand Why We Hate the Foods We Hate by Stephanie Lucianovic.  “Are you a picky eater?  Are your kids picky eaters?  Wanna read funny stories about Hypomomdriacs?  You'll like this book, then.  A little science, but mostly just great stories about the lengths we go to in avoiding the foods we hate (die, raisins... die!)”

Suicide of the West by Jonah Goldberg. From Goodreads: “With his trademark blend of political history, social science, economics, and pop culture, two-time NYT bestselling author, syndicated columnist, National Review senior editor, and American Enterprise Institute fellow Jonah Goldberg makes the timely case that America and other democracies are in peril as they lose the will to defend the values and institutions that sustain freedom and prosperity. Instead we are surrendering to populism, nationalism and other forms of tribalism.”

Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart. "Read this on a Vamoose ride to NYC. Set in NYC during the latter part of WWII, the book tells of the life changing adventures (in that 1940's kind of way) of two Iowa college students who move to Manhattan for a summer and secure jobs at Tiffany's. The cute tone is as if your 80 something year old grandmother were recounting favorite memories with that far away smile on her face. In fact, the book is a memoir, albeit quite light."

The Surprising Life of Constance Spry: From Social Reformer to Society Florist by Sue Shephard.  “A biography of the highly unconventional, brazen sharp business woman Constance Spry.  Best known as 'the’ British society florist of the 1930's (in the way that Cecil Beaton was the 'it' photographer of the era), Constance's life was filled with drama -- from her impoverished beginnings to a violent marriage, lesbian love affair and ultimately her rise as a very successful entrepeneur.  Her floral designs still inspire today.  It's an interesting read about quite an independent, ambitious woman.”