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Non Fiction: The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule

Basically, the most well known true crime book about serial killers. Follows the horrific trail of Ted Bundy, told by a women who knew him and actually suspected him early on. I'm about halfway through. Scary. Readable. Fascinating. Not sure I'll finish, though, because the story gets a bit repetitive and really is about documenting the entire series of murders, which in some way doesn't totally interest me.

Essays: How to Be Alone by Jonathan Franzen

This guy has become one of my favorite writers. His overall attitude about writing appeals to my sensibility. I also like how he thinks a lot about writing and reading and what it means to our society. I'm skipping around the essay book - at first I was reading straight through - but I got really bored during his piece about the post office. So far my favorites are the "Harpers Essay" and "Mr. Difficult" where he addresses the issue of reading today. The one about his dad and alzheimer's is quite moving.

Non Fiction: The Murderer Next Door by David Buss

I probably won't finish this book, but it's about the impulse to murder and his finding that a large number of people have detailed murder fantasies which involve planning. His basic premise is that murder is an essential part of being human and not a construct of society or poverty or video games. Of course, I already thought this, so I'm not sure I need to read the entire book.