The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt

Two outlaw brothers set off to gold-rush California in search of a man they're contracted to kill. But nothing's ever as easy as it seems.

Eli and Charlie Sisters are "brand-name" famous for their work; all they have to do is introduce themselves, and people blanch. But Eli has had enough, and is considering what his next life could look like: husband, shopkeep?

In the meantime, they're hunting down a man with a chemical formula that makes panning streams for gold child's play.

This is a dark comedy, that contrasts with flashes of shocking, stark violence. It's a remarkable, unforgettable novel and one of the best I've read in quite a while.

The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans

After a riding tragedy nearly kills them both, a teenage girl and her horse are both broken and angry. Horse trainer Tom Booker has a way with damaged souls, and under his tutelage both Gracie and Pilgrim rebound. But it's Booker's relationship with Grace's mother, Annie, that's the core of this story: the driven Manhattan magazine editor and the gentle Montana cowboy. A match that was never meant to happen.

I'm not usually much for romance, but this is one of my favorite books. The land is so integral that Montana is practically a character in the book. The writing's beautiful. The characters are flawed and real.

But honestly, it's Peter Coyote's voice that makes this my favorite. I have an abridged audiobook on CD that's my fall-back listen in the sewing room (and I would pay big $$ for an unabridged version of his narration!).

The very best kind of "comfort food" for the mind.