I love reading, I just don’t get much of it done. I find that whenever I’m stressed (which tends to be whenever I have any kind of responsibility in my life), I lose my ability to read effectively and just re-scan the same line, over and over, until I get frustrated and go watch an episode of Castle or take a nap. Anyhow, here are some books that I managed to read recently and really enjoyed. There aren’t many, but I promise they’re all worth your time.
I borrowed book #5 and then returned it like a decent person, so it's not pictured here. Deal with it.
- Made in America by Bill Bryson
On the puritan age: “Equally unlucky was George Spencer of New Haven, Connecticut. When a one-eyed pig was born in the town, the magistrates cast around for an explanation and lighted on the hapless Spencer, who also had but one eye. Questioned as to the possibility of beasiality, the frightened Spencer confessed, but then recanted. Under Connecticut law to convinct Spencer of beastiality required the testimony of two witnesses. So keen were the magistrates to hang him that they admitted the pig as one witness and his retracted confession as another.” –Made in America, page 360
I positively devoured this book. It was wonderful. In true Bryson style it’s chock full of fascinating facts, united under the umbrella of examining the history of the English language in America. I learned why we drive on the wrong side of the road in North America, where the Ten Gallon Hat got its name, and the origin of loads of odd phrases that have always confused me. It’s an excellent read that will keep you laughing all the way through while stocking your brain with years worth of conversation starters.
- I’m a Stranger Here Myself by Bill Bryson
“Life’s a funny thing, isn’t it? One minute you’re praying to be allowed to live, vowing to face any hardship without complaint, and the next you are mentally banging your head on the dashboard and thinking: ‘I wanted steak, I wanted steak, I wanted steak.'” –I’m a Stranger Here Myself, page 213
Bryson is quite the traveller, and this was the last of his travelogues on my to-read list. It didn’t disappoint. Notes from a Big Country is a collection of newspaper columns written shortly after Bryson returned to America after years of living in Britain. It’s full of great observations about suburban, American living, and supplies many laughs as well.
- At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson
“By the time Europeans began to visit the New World in large numbers, they had grown so habitually malodorous that the Indians nearly always remarked on how bad they smelled. Nothing, however, bemused the Indians more than the European habit of blowing their noses into a fine hankerchief, folding it carefully, and placing it back in their pockets as if it were a treasured momento.” –At Home, page 349
Are you, perhaps, noticing a trend in my reading? Yeah, I like Bill Bryson. It’s because he’s awesome. At Home was also, fittingly, awesome. It examines the history of private life, going all the way back to the first homes and tracing the development of different rooms and many of the things we keep in them. I do not recommend reading the chapter about bed bugs and lice while in bed, though. And, of course, this book is super funny. It’s a Bryson.
- In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
“Maybe it’s time we confronted the American paradox: a notably unhealthy population preoccupied with nutrition and diet and the idea of eating healthily.” –In Defense of Food, page 9
If you’re interested in learning about why you can find a nutritional study to back up any half-assed theory, this is the book to read. Pollan susses out all sorts of interesting hidden aspects of the food industry. It’s a bit scary at times, but I think everyone who eats should know these things.
- The Interview Kit by Richard H. Beatty
I was recently in the position of needing to find myself a job, and a friend loaned me a copy of this book. While not a particularly enthralling tome, it was very helpful and written well enough as to not lull you to sleep as you read. Beatty is a wealth of knowledge on topics such as how not to stick your foot in your mouth during your interview or get yourself fired before you even get hired. Handy dandy.
What great books have you read recently? Remember, every article you comment on is an entry into the monthly draw!
