What are you reading?

I was at the dentist's office yesterday with my book, 'cause I knew I'd be waiting, when the hygenist asked me what I was reading. Avoiding the obvious answer, "A book," I tried to describe the book I was reading. I found it difficult to answer the question. Do I mention the authors since they were somewhat well known to me and mine? Do I go into the plot? Do I describe the lead character who is in other books by these authors? I was so worried about answering with something useful that we reached the chair before I could answer. When I finally had an answer, she was cleaning my teeth. Too late.
So it got me wondering, why do I read the books I enjoy? I thought I'd rattle off a few of my favorites and why I like them and the list got confusing so I'm sharing it with you all here in the interwebs.

The Dark Tower Series by Steven King. This series of 7 books was started when King was young and was actually his first published piece. The idea has carried through his entire career and culmonated in 2005 with the finale. I loved this series, in part, because it blends the old fashioned feelings of a western, sci-fi twists and turns in a post-apocalypse world and ancient mythology. The way he writes is just magnificent, of course, but the stories have back stories and if you've read any other King wirks, they all tie together in the Dark Tower series.

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child The Pendergast novels are fun, but these 2 have been writing together for awhile now. They often involve the New York Natural History Museum and bits about Old New York while set in modern day. The twists usually revolve around some ancient little known artifact that unusual things happen around. The first one I ever experienced was "Riptide" and we heard it on tape driving from New Mexico to Laughlin, Nevada. I remember driving to the boat launch slowly so we could hear the end of the story. I'm currently in the middle of "Wheel of Darkness" and enjoying it very much.

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. When I asked my father, soon after Morgan was born, what his political views were, he told me to read this book. I don't agree 100% with the message, but then again when do we ever accept something 100%. It's a fun read with a philosophical message built right in.

I'll add more as I think of them, what are you reading and why?