Joe Hill's latest a sweeping and compelling thriller

DeLillo's latest effort a look at the dynamics of immortality

Collection features wide range of stylistic diversity

Trilogy's second book another excellent dystopian offering

'You're in Bangor, Maine? Wow. My very first gig out of town (Long Island, New York) with Vanilla Fudge, when we were called The Pigeons, was in Bangor, Maine (laughing).'

Book explores the economic evolution of pro sports

Novel brings together baseball, magic and the Great Depression

Book tells story of Mark Twain's 1896 round-the-world tour

Novel offers up an arid end of the world

People read for different reasons. Some read to learn, while others read to escape; some read to be challenged, others simply to be entertained.

I read for all of these reasons.

So there's a little bit of everything in this list of my 2012 favorites; if nothing else, I feel confident in saying that readers from across the spectrum will find something to like here.