7 Powerful Books To Read Now—& Feel Instantly Smarter

Maybe it's all the back-to-school hype, but we've been bitten by the paperback bug. And since a solid literary diet should consist of more than just beach reads and chick lit, we're aiming to boost our brainpower with a few good books this fall. So, we asked local experts to share their favorite "serious" reads, covering everything from politics and government to history and social issues. Think of this as required reading — only this time, you'll actually enjoy it.