The Book Thief  by Markus Zusak (Knopf, $11.99, young adult).  Set in the suburbs of Munich during the build-up to World War II, he deals with very heavy subject matter in a non heavy-handed way.  It’s perfect for young-adults.  His snappy writing style and spunky characters are compelling. 

Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (Random House, $15.00, science fiction). Ooh, such fun.  Let’s see, there’s a version of Second Life (SC was published in 1992), a good chunk of near eastern history, a mass-capitalized lawless America run by “franchises”, a manic 15 year old skateboard heroine, a rampaging Aleut, and cyber pit bulls with golden hearts.  I stayed up all night to finish it and when I did I had to give my own golden-hearted terrier a hug.