Toews' novel might not be the first to spring to mind when thinking of a beach read. If you can appreciate that darker turns of life can be balanced with some levity (however inappropriate), then you just might tear through these pages as I did.

This fantastical sliver of a book filled my eyes with wonder and sent me into a dreamlike state when I finished reading. Victoria Cribb's translation also made me feel that I should learn Icelandic.

Sure, the last thing you want to read in order to relax your mind is a book about work. Should you be in the mood for a very brief but gripping argument about how requiring passion for one's job can be problematic, look no further.

A cabbie and a soldier search all over Tel Aviv for the missing figure who binds them together. Translated from Hebrew by Noah Stollman, Modan's subtle humor pokes fun at the detachment from everyday terror.

The first issue in an anthology of writings, all hand-picked by former Granta editor John Freeman. I was especially taken with Lydia Davis' method of learning Norwegian, Kamila Shamsie negotiating gender and class with Pakistani military intelligence, and Fatin Abbas on relations in a NGO in Sudan.

If you're between the ages of 20 and 50 but are unable to afford a therapist, Heather Havrilesky's column may provide temporary relief. Even if a lot of "Polly's" advice is couched in goofy and slightly snarky language, the underlying common sense still shines through.

I never got the pleasure to listen to this legendary DJ's shows when he was still spinning records and promoting music with BBC. Fortunately, this compelling autobiography paints a very clear picture of Peel's passion--and I'll admit it, makes me envious of all the folks he's worked with.

It's a layperson's guide to fonts--I mean, typefaces! Garfield has helped me better appreciate the much-maligned Comic Sans and revealed why Gotham worked for the Obama campaign. Honestly, who knew?! (Besides designers, that is.)

Another novel one can read quickly, not because its characters are likeable but more that they're intimately familiar. It begins with the persnickety uncle set in his ways and ends with the "third culture kid," trying to reconcile her Ukrainian heritage with her Brooklyn upbringing.

A strong contender for "writing at which I would snort aloud while riding public transit." Kaling's brand of humor is particular, to be sure, but she also displays her self-confidence and her drive to work hard for what she wants.