"Contact", by Carl Sagan. It's not "light" and "easy", but it ties our current world to future promise. And it has some wonderful storytelling and writing put

"Contact", by Carl Sagan. It's not "light" and "easy", but it ties our current world to future promise. And it has some wonderful storytelling and writing putting this into context. The main character, Ellie, is a superb and rich portrayal. Friends to whom I've recommended the book agree on this. If you've seen the movie, it's an ok Hollywood production. The book is much, much more.