OK, here are a couple of books I've enjoyed recently:
Motherland by Maria Hummel-- A young German mother's attempt to hold her family together just before the country's collapse in WWII. Not your usual WWII novel because of its unusual point of view; based on a true story. If you like it, I'd also recommend Hans Fallada "Alone in Berlin" for another novel, written in 1946, and told from the perspective of an working-class German couple who start resisting the Nazi regime.
The Mistress of Nothing by Kate Pullinger: Also loosely based on an actual journey made by Lady Duff Gordon to the Nile at the turn of the century. The story is told from the POV of her maid, Sally, who undergoes a transformation from a Victorian lady's maid into her own sense of self as a person.
The Inn at Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman: Actually any of Elinor Lipman's books are a fun read. To me, she is a modern day Jane Austen in the way she dissects human foibles in a penetrating but light-hearted, humorous way.
Loving Frank by Nancy Horan: The story of the Illicit love affair between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick. Also based on real life. Same genre as "The Paris Wife" by Paula McLain.
If you want something off beat, Mary Roach writes about fascinating topics in an often funny, but easy to read style. "Packing for Mars" is about the sometimes squeamishly hilarious side of space travel while "Stiff" is about bodies after death, "Gulp" tackles the alimentary canal, and "Bonk" tackles sex. Her topics seem gross but once you start reading you get fascinated by the complexity of the science. Once you read one of her books, you'll read them all.
Finally, my favorite reads on a long plane rides are well-written detective novels set in an exotic (to me) locale. Gets me in the mood for a new adventure when I land. Barbara Nadel sets her plots in Turkey, Donna Leon uses Venice, and there are hosts of others. I pick my location and ask for a recommendation in a good bookstore--or do a bit of on-line sleuthing in advice to see which writers get good reviews. I read a few pages, and, if I get hooked, then buy the book. Usually these writers produce a series so, once I find a storyline and style that appeals to me, I download a couple in the series to devour when I'm waiting in airports or need something to read in the middle of the night if I'm jet lagged.
