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I have been reading quite a bit lately and I have read some extraordinary works. So for those of you looking to pick up a good read- here are a few I've been impressed with:

1) Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez- NF
It's the story of a woman who visits Afghanistan shortly after 9/11 on a humanitarian trip. Being the only non-doctor/medical person on the trip; she struggles to find out how she can be of much use. As she falls in love with the women she meets, she decides that she wants to come back and open a beauty school, her speciality, and teach the women a trade. Rodriguez, an all American woman, describes beautifully, the stories of the women that have impacted her and how her own story took a turn for the better.

2) A Mighty Heart by Marianne Pearl
I'm sure you've heard about the film- but the book is fascinating. I haven't actually seen the film yet. Pearl describes the events following her husband, Daniel's, disappearence in January 2002. Daniel Pearl, a writer for the Wall Street Journal, was kidnapped while on assignment in Pakistan. Marianne explains the process she went through in attempting to find him while staying close to officials in Pakistan and carrying what would their only child. I am amazed at the strength Pearl held during the entire process and even how she handled bombarding media. It's a fantastic read. Pearl consistently keeps you looped into the story and sharing the hope she had.

3) The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Ironically, I'm still reading this. When a friend told me it wasn't a warm fuzzy book, I wasn't sure what to think- but now I know what she meant. In it- the state of America has become ashes and thugs. There is nothing. It is all burned down. And as stated, w/ the exception of a few thugs, there are no people. Food is scarce and everything has been destroyed. But in the midst of it all- there is a man and his small son trekking the country to get to the coast. They don't know if there is any hope to strive for, but they press on anyway and learn to survive. The book is an endless story line w/o chapters or interuptions, nevertheless, beautifully written.