I finished that Goat Hill book, but instead of more politics I have since been through:



which was really good, if a bit repetitive - which is sorta the point. You understand the grind that being a solo artiste/athlete really is.

And I am halfway through this:



written by the SABRmetrics cat. If only because when I heard about it on the Simmons/Klosterman pogblask, I texted Bloor and he said he'd like to pretend to have read it as well. So now I'll make him read it, and we can talk about.

Isn't there a chance you guys might join us at the beach? If so, bring it.

Speaking of the beach, I'm taking these:







I'm wondering how much I'll read with a two year old crawling all over me constantly.

First I've heard of this beach shit. I've had all three of those next to my bed for extended lengths of time. None has quite grabbed my fancy.

This crime book is awesome, though.

I thought Keith Richards auto was kind of boring, surprisingly.

Just finished reading the War for Late Night about the Conan/Leno/NBCfailfest. Good read.

Ended up reading the ESPN and Bourdain books and picking this up for 3 bucks at a Border's that I imagine will be gone soon...



It's pretty good, especially the chefs who have A. a little writing talent and B. take the time and space to develop a story

As for the ESPN book: It is really, really fucking long and I guess could have been a lot longer; I really enjoyed how much was devoted to all the machinations of the business side of developing the network as opposed to some of the other things. Not as good as the SNL book but very much a story worth telling.

Medium Raw is more a collection of essays which, I guess, is best for AB since he is sort of all over the place. I like that he has made peace with some of the people he used to criticize (namely Emeril and Mario Batali) before he himself was famous. Also enjoyed the behind the scenes of Top Chef and the expected inside baseball shit talking of which restaurants and chefs suck/rule and why.

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn. I thought I knew some shit, but this is still pretty eye opening.

I think I'll be skipping this altogether. I've come to the conclusion that the SNL book is low grade dog shit. A chore to get through with only a few revelations, and a lot of rehashing shit that anyone with a remote interest in the show over the past 35 years would already have known.

I'm now reading:



My Joe Rogan Stoned Ape obsession is getting the better of me. Now to find some DMT....

just found in the dollar bin...

'I'm With the Band' by Pamela Des Barres and the follow up...

Given that criteria, you would probably like the ESPN book more unless you think the business stuff might bore you.

Highly recommended. Although it's best to have some of it for dinner because all you want is steak while you're reading it.

Picked this up for cheap on Amazon's zshops during my quest to learn more about 50s rock icons. Looking forward to it, especially since Bob Dylan gave a very good review of it.

Also, I'm leading a small-group with our church where we will read the entire Bible in 90 days. My wife will be joining in as well, so at least I'll have moral support at home with it. Have had 5-10 people sign up so far, and we're going to be meeting at a bar to discuss it. Beer+Bible.

glad i read this in high school so i could be jaded as fuck for the rest of my life.

You should read "Voices of a People's History..." too because it's basically a bunch of the primary sources he uses in the book and makes it even more powerful.

I mean dude is biased and I'm sure stretches the truth a lot but that's a whole different discussion

Gar, how'd you like Popular Crime? I listened to an interview w/ James the other day and it got me a little interested in it. I've read James's historical abstract on baseball and he does a good job of making stats not dry.

It was awesome - the Klosterman/Simmons podcast sums it up nicely, but I like the discussion on crime, and some of the wormholes he takes in terms of how some could be solved earlier, etc.

I flew through it, too. Which usually means it's either well written, or interesting.

Coin Locker Babies by Ryu Murakami

Another one by Murakami, this time it covers the lives of two kids growing up in a foster home and beyond after being the only two survivors of a rash of babies abandoned at birth by their mothers in a Yokohama train station's coin lockers to die. Murder, drugs, prostitution, revenge, insanity... Lots of intriguing settings and semi-surrealistic happenings and landscapes. Still intrigued by this writer.

I picked up that SNL book, a Lester bangs book of essays, Robert Hilburn's cornflakes with lennon, and a book on southern soul at Amoeba over the weekend -- all used and dirt cheap.

I finished that Steinbeck book and am probably starting The Friends of Eddie Coyle next.

Just started this one:

This book looks awesome. And just shot to the top of my reading list.

My wife read this (and about 12 other books) at this beach. She said it was kind of a bummer.

Currently reading A Dance With Dragons by George RR Martin, or as my wife calls it Swords, Horses and Buttholes.

Just finished Hyperion by Dan Simmons. Best science fiction I've read in a long, long time. Before that I read Columbine by Dave Cullen, which was also fantastic.

I'm somglad femgar's not in that book club. I'm not letting shit by patty smelth in my crib. Or to corrupt her mind.

ive nerded out on both of those books.

Since I last posted:



+



which wasn't very good

+



Just started last night: