Adult

Short anecdotes of inspiration, humor and philosophy. One of my favorites - and an excellent graduation gift!

A National Book Award Finalist (and rightly so), this book’s take on the Iraqi War captivated me in much the same way as Kathryn Bigelow’s film The Hurt Locker did. Powers – a veteran of the war – powerfully paints a picture of the effects of war that stirred me the way All Quiet on the Western Front did when I read it in ninth grade.

Honestly, the book is 288 pages, but the back is filled with book club questions – so I don’t count those! Normally I try to focus on first-time authors and lesser known works, but Boo’s National Book Award winner is truly beautiful modern day literature. Its Indian characters could be any of us, and I hope you treat yourself to a wonderful afternoon reading this treasure.

Before he started sleeping with his step-children, Woody Allen was a pretty funny writer. I chose this book over Without Feathers and Side Effects because it is the shortest (Without Feathers is my favorite, though).

Is it boiling where you live? Southern California recently experienced quite a heat wave, and I found myself spending a lot of time at the beach with my wife and kids. This is the perfect “beach book,” as it should take anyone less than a couple of hours to read (very tiny pages with very big writing, just as I like). I became interested in Anne’s diaries after reading about her in M. Scott Berg’s masterful biography of her husband, Charles Lindbergh, but it was not until picking up this little gem that I truly could appreciate what a wonderful writer Anne was. This book is almost as therapeutic to read as I am sure it was for her to write.

Who knew you could create an entire university course based on the mathematical concepts hidden within episodes of The Simpsons. This delightful book will reward you throughout.

The title compelled me to read this book, as I was browsing scientific titles to diversify my summer reading. What a gem! At the beginning of the 20^th century, Henrietta Leavitt toiled as a human “computer” at Harvard’s observatory and determined a way to use star’s to determine time and distance. This would make for a perfect Paul Harvey anecdote. I love reading biographies of people who made a significant contribution to humankind and never received their due credit.

This book was made for the Lazy Readers’ Book Club, as it is short, hilarious and filled with goodies. I had never heard of the Reduced Shakespeare Company, but now I have to see them perform. Martin and Tichenor make Shakespeare enjoyable for all ages, as this book is filled with lists, essential vocabulary, movie versions of Shakespeare, just about any random information that anyone would like to know about Shakespeare, written in a wonderfully readable and lighthearted way. I wish this book was around when I used to teach Shakespeare to high school students, as it is sure to reduce students’ anxiety over Shakespeare and increase their ability to enjoy his work.

Since the economies of the world are headed for the toilet, I thought this would be a fun read. Actually, the photos are fabulous, the information is quite interesting and the premise is one of the most entertaining I have come across in some time. Who knew that bathroom architecture was such a window into the cultures of the world? Ideal “bathroom” reading.

This is one of those great “gift” books that is filled with all sorts of anecdotes about the inspiration and stories behind the making of great songs. I am fascinated by books like this. I especially love the anecdote about where Aerosmith found the inspiration for the song “Walk This Way” (I’ll give you a hint: it derives from a scene in the film Young Frankenstein).

If you have not yet read anything by Fay Weldon, treat yourself to an afternoon with this paperback. With Weldon you are always assured a fast-paced and wickedly funny story, and this one chronicles the misadventures of poor Grace Salt. Her husband leaves her for another woman whom Grace tries to run over, earning her a three-year jail sentence. A good book for putting a smile on your face, which everyone could probably use about now.

This is Conescu’s first novel, and I can hardly wait to read his next. The book reads like a cross between a Charlie Kaufman screenplay (e.g. Adaptation), Terry Gilliam film and Kurt Vonnegut’s Breakfast of Champions, all rolled into one. Can an author’s main character out-write the author himself? Read the book and find out.

What is it about Afghani writers? One of the best books I have read in the last decade was Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, and now Ahmedi presents this touching autobiography of growing up as a girl in Kabul and escaping death after stepping on a landmine. This book inspired me and kept me awake at the thought of Ahmedi’s harrowing experiences.

Perfect reading for those interested in an intriguing story about a small town priest who questions his faith, his vows and everything around him. Breezed through this book.

This is one of my all-time favorites, as it hilariously follows the adventures of Arthur Dent and his friend Ford Prefect as they hitchhike their way through the galaxy following the destruction of Earth to build an intergalactic overpass.