- Half Empty by David Rakoff
- Hidden America: From Coal Miners to Cowboys, An Extraordinary Exploration of the Unseen People who make this Country Work by Jeanne Marie Laskas
- Glock: The Rise of America's Gun by Paul M. Barrett
- Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for Bin Laden from 9/11 to Abbottabad by Peter L. Bergen
All four books, though very different from one another, offered something beautiful. Whether it was an honest look at end of life or in-depth intelligence gathering, these books made December an interesting reading month. Laskas's time at a gun store and the history of the Glock seemed pertinent in light of the tragedy at Newtown. I think Barrett did the country a favor by providing a primer of the gun control debate thus far.