Book It

I rarely opened summer reading books when I was in high school, but as I've gotten older I've developed more of a thirst for literature. Maybe it's one of the few ways to momentarily quench my insatiable desire to keep learning (watching Jeopardy! is another), but reading has become something of a hobby for me over the past few years. I can still only read right before I go to sleep, but when I'm reading something that I like I often read until 2 or 3 a.m. Over the past two or three years I've also been a part of a semi-regular book club (we essentially just recommend books to each other) with my buddy Kyle Korver (he might want to be called Steve Novak now, I'll have to ask him).

I do not claim to be a literary expert, but I have read plenty in 2012 and would like to share some of the work that I enjoyed the most. Before we get to my Top 10 Books That I Read in 2012 I should point out that (just like the title suggests) all of these books were not published in 2012. I just happened to read them over the course of the calendar year.



10.) Plum Island by Nelson Demille



This is the story of a NYC cop who’s convalescing on Long Island and become entangled in the investigation of the murder of an attractive, young couple who were scientists on a island run by the government. It reads almost like a Scooby Doo plot mixed with sex and pirate treasure. My roommate, who recommended the book, insists that it’s the worst of the series, but that I needed to read this one to get the background of the main character. It was entertaining enough to make my top 10, but I don’t think I’ll be reading the second book of the series.


9.) Do Not Ask What Good We Do by Robert Draper



I’m something of a political junkie, so I was pumped to read this account of the inner workings of the House of Representatives. It read like an episode of HBO’s The Newsroom without any drama, urgency, or sizzle.


8.) The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach



This novel is ostensibly about a college baseball player who has an errorless streak going, but it’s more of a campus novel that deals with a multitude of relationships (including a gay one).


7.) Don’t Put Me In Coach by Mark Titus




If you don’t know the story of the former Ohio State walk on that parlayed a popular blog into a job at Grantland.Com then you’re missing out. Titus is simply a funny kid who acted liked an absolute clown while suiting up for one of the best college basketball teams in America. The writing isn't that great, but the stories are fantastic.


6.) The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides



This book is definitely more feminine than what I’m used to, but it won the Pulitzer Prize, so I figured that I’d give it a shot. I wouldn’t say that it was great, but it was well worth my time and I liked how it ended and that’s more than I can say about most books that I read. The story begins on the morning of a college graduation (probably where I’d start a novel if I ever wrote one) and follows the exploits of a female over the next few years as she deals with the real world through the context of her relationship with two guys she knew well in college.


5.) Killing Yourself to Live by Chuck Klosterman



When he was a writer for Spin magazine pop Culture critic/commentator Chuck Klosterman was tasked with traveling the country to visit the places where rock legends died. In this novel we get his inner monologue while on the two week journey. It’s very self-serving (a lot of the book is about his relationships with three different women), but there’s the usual blend of witty and intriguing commentary that we’ve come to expect from Klosterman.


4.) 11/22/63 by Stephen King



If that date doesn’t strike some sort of chord in your head then this book might not be for you. Stephen King messes around with time travel (yay for worm holes) and tells an incredible story about the assassination of JFK. It's about 900 pages, but it's hard to put down.


3.) Risky is the New Safe by Randy Gage



Do you want a glimpse of what the world is going to be like in 10 years? If so, then read this book. Gage does a great job of forecasting the future of the economy and job market. It’s basically a manifesto on why you should immerse yourself with cutting edge technology. If you read this book and aren’t motivated to create more content in your field of work (in whatever capacity) then something is wrong with you.


2.) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn



The writing in this book is off the charts. I read this fast paced thriller in July and am still amazed at the ability of Flynn. Her technical skills as a writer are enormously impressive. The plot is also something to behold. When a wife goes missing her husband works hand in hand with the police before realizing that he’s actually the primary suspect. The chapters alternate from each spouse’s perspective and the amount of suspense, tension, and humor (I laughed out loud at least 20 times) is simply remarkable. I wasn’t wild about the ending, but the ride this book took me on was absolutely worth it.


1.) The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg



In this Malcom Gladwell-ish book Duhigg explains how and why we fall into routines (both good and bad). He uses real world examples to illustrate the effect of changed or learned habits including a riveting chapter about how retail stores like Target often know that a woman is pregnant before she does. This book is not going to fix all of your bad habits, but it will give you a better understanding of why you do what you do. I would recommend this book to anyone.


My Week 16 NFL Picks

at Lions +4.5 vs. Falcons
at Packers -13 vs. Titans
at Panthers -8.5 vs. Raiders
Bills +4.5 at Dolphins
at Steelers -4 vs. Bengals
at Jaguars +14.5 vs. Patriots
Colts -6.5 at Chiefs
at Cowboys -2.5 vs. Saints
Redskins -5.5 at Eagles
at Bucs -3 vs, Rams
Giants -2 at Ravens
at Texans -7.5 vs. Vikings
Browns +13.5 at Broncos
at Cardinals +6 vs. Bears
at Seahawks +1 vs. 49ers
at Jets -2 vs. Chargers

Last Week- 4-12
Season- 102-120-3