Looking for New Reads

So, I just completed a book I found in my son's room as I was heading out of town and desperate for something other than work stuff to read on the plane. Was a book titled Disgrace written in the late 1990s by a South African born author, J M Coetzee. I often troll my now adult or semi-adult children's rooms for books when I don't have time to get to the bookstore or library. While required reading is no joy when it is required, the required books are generally really good when you are not required to write a paper after reading them. While I think I enjoyed Disgrace (it made me think, made me uncomfortable, and kept my interest), I am not sure it would roll off my tongue right away if someone asked me to recommend a book to them.
Which brings me to my question: Do you have a 'filter' for books you will recommend? For instance, I would recommend that everyone on our team read The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and Who Moved My Cheese? They are light, organizational-understanding type books that are somewhat humorous, but also quite insightful. I would also recommend those books to my three kids -- think it would help them as they prepare to enter the work world. Of course, I doubt that they would read them at this juncture of their lives (19, 22 and 26 and all still in some form or another of school). I have recommended them to my husband, but not to my mother. I have not recommended it to either of the women I walk with in the morning -- even though we sometimes talk books -- but different kinds of books.
Of course, on my shelves at work, I have all the 'right' business/organizational reads -- Built to Last, The 8th Habit, Health Care Trends, Every Business is a Growth Business. Would I recommend them to most people? Not so much.
A book I would recommend and have recommended to everyone is The Giver -- but you must have hankies (boy, am I old or what) handy. I learned so much from that story about what really matters and what is just memorex. Another is the book I read right before Disgrace, which is Game Change about the 2008 presidential campaign. Amazed at how much information people are willing to share 'off the record' and how colorful the language of all politicians. Back to the filters -- mine are generally based on what I know about the person or persons to whom I am recommending a book; if they are squeamish about language or situations; and if I think I will ever see or talk with them again. What filters do you use? And, what books would you recommend to me or other co-workers? I really am looking for a few more good reads this summer and want to save my kids' rooms for when I am absolutely desperate.