Hey, it’s already mid-July! I can’t believe it. Seems like just
yesterday I was complaining about the cold weather, the pain of prying my tongue off my car’s rear-view mirror (long
story)…and now I get to complain about the hot weather and the fact that our AC sucks more watts than an amp at a
Rolling Stones concert.
Summer is reading time. Even if you’re not gallivanting off to exotic places, in summer you still tend to find a bit
more time to read a good book. That’s been my experience anyway. And already I’ve read a couple of great books
that I’d love to share. Here is my list so far:
1.
The Making of Toro by Mark Sundeen
Sundeen’s satire of an egocentric adventure writer is part Hemingway, part Neil
Pollack. I stumbled across this book randomly, having enjoyed some of Sundeen’s stuff in adventure mags. I laughed
myself silly.
2. Lonely Planet
Guide to Experimental Travel
I blogged about this one earlier. Its creative approach
to travel will change your outlook on tourism and will significantly enhance your next trip.
3. Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen. I love Hiaasen’s stuff. It’s not deep
literature, but you will laugh and turn pages faster than a student at Evelyn Wood.
4.
Bringing Down the House – by Ben Mezrich
Mezrich’s engrossing tale about a team of MIT brainaics making a killing at Blackjack will make you want to book a
flight to Sin City and try out some of the techniques in the book. Just hope you don’t get “back roomed”.
6.
A Sense of Place by Neil Shapiro
If you are a practicing or aspiring travel writer, this book is for you. The book features interviews with the best of
the best, like Bill Bryson and Paul Theroux, and the advice you glean from the interviews will pay for the book in no
time.
Any other book fans out there? Let’s hear your thoughts on the summer’s best reads.