It Never Ends: A Memoir with Nice Memories!by Tom Scharpling I don’t think I’ve ever waited so long in anticipation for a book. Being a Best Show listener for years now (which would still make me a junior, by most standards), I’ve been looking forward to this book since host Tom Scharpling first mentioned it in 2019. I can’t believe it’s been so long, but here it is, It Never Ends is among us. Listeners of the Best Show know...
Authority(Southern Reach Series Book #2)by Jeff VanderMeer Chalk Annihilation up to one of those books that was loaded with potential and was unsuccessfully adapted for the big screen. It’s a shame too, because few books are as intriguing, spooky and downright chilling at that first Annihilation book. It’s such a gripping rich story that the cliffhanger ending (almost literally) eggs the reader to keep reading. I don’t know if the Southern Reach Trilogy was originally intended as such, but I...
Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacementsby Bob Mehr Sure, we’ve reviewed this book already, but something this awesome deserved to be revisited. So, here’s a special edition of I Wanna Be Literated. I don’t quite understand why I never made this book a priority. I’m a very big Replacements fan and this is quite possibly the definitive biography on the band. Also, it’s critically acclaimed (5 stars on Amazon!?) and my favorite podcasts talk about its greatness (Bob...
Go to Sleep (I Miss You): Cartoons from the Fog of New Parenthoodby Lucy Knisley I’ll be the first to admit that becoming a dad has made me soft. It comes as a surprise because I’ve been a cynical bastard for most of my life. And although I never wanted to become the guy who flaunts picture of his kid to people – and I still haven’t exactly – I will expound on stories of my kid when asked. I’m...
Lifespan: Why We Age—and Why We Don’t Have Toby David A. Sinclair I’ve come to appreciate the format of popular science books the more I read them. The good ones are written by pros in the field, who actually have a science degree and do research in an established institution, so you know, their reputation in academia is at stake. David Sinclair’s book Lifespan: Why we Age and Why We Don’t Have To, unfortunately, looks suspiciously like a scam book....
Mr Show: What HappenedNaomi Odenkirk You want to know the impact Mr Show has had on the comedy world? Well, think of your favorite sketch comedy during or after the 90s and it’s a given that Mr Show has had a huge impact on them. It’s just one of those shows that came together with the right writers, at the right time, and the right talent to really make it special. And after a decade of staleness from SNL, it...
My War by Kurt Morris There are music lovers and then there are music lovers. To some of us, music is more than just something you play in the background, something that can be used to fill dead air, or something to decorate our day. To some of us, music can offer a deep sense of connection and help us understand ourselves. It can get us out of a tough spot. It has healing powers. Yes, not all of us...
Who Owns the Futureby Jaron Lanier I hate books that give away the ending in the title. I hate it more when they tell you there’s an ending then don’t show it to you. The problem with titles like “Who Owns the Future” is that it makes your book sound like a self-help book. Like “The Secret.” I understand that Jaron Lanier is supposed to sell books and maybe his publisher pushed for this title, but if he were so...
Trotsky and the Problem of Soviet BureaucracyThomas M. Twiss Leon Trotsky should be known for a lot of things, but especially for having one of the greatest rises and falls in history. Rising to revered leader of the Soviet state to globally ostracized and being brutally murdered. The man’s life can never be analyzed enough. In fact, it has been time and time again, which is what makes Trotsky and the Problem of Soviet Biography such an interesting book. It’s...
Dog Days of Snakepit by Ben Snakepit It’s easy to understate the subtlety of Ben Snakepit’s work. He’s like a centaur: a comic book artist torso powered by a punk rock body. There is no doubt that punk rock has shaped who Ben is and his perspective on life. The man has been in more bands that I either of us can count and I am a proud owner of his music. He’s also an all-around beloved guy. But maybe...