BOOKS THREAD

Two very good Vietnam War books:
Once Upon A Distant War, William Prochnau.....the story of the first national reporters in the war zone

The Living and the Dead: Robert McNamara and Five Lives of a Lost War, Paul Hendrickson.....great telling of how McNamara's Vietnam decisions impacted five people

 

This won't be much help, but I think you're thinking of a book by (possibly some former David Letterman writer?) who goes to live for a year in a Florida retirement community.

As I say, not much help, but the reviews I remember reading mentioned the Sedaris similarity.

 

I'm currently devouring "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius," and I wished I'd listened to my oddly attractive TA a few years ago when she gushed about it and Eggers. It's really good, though if you don't like young people (hi spnited!!!) you may not enjoy it. Worth the title, mostly because the title (and about 75% of the book) is tongue-in-cheek.

 

I made it through all 16 pages to get some ideas for my annual flight to Oregon next month. Books, generally, have to hit me the right way for me to have interest in them. I'm sure if I gave more a chance, I'd love them, but oh well.

Crossworld sounds interesting, as do the Klosterman books. Especially if he's ever written anything about Journey.

The one I've stumbled upon recently is Alan Schwarz's The Numbers Game. Anyone have any good/bad words about it?

 

Just finished 102 Minutes, a book about 9-11 from the impact of the first plane to the collapse of the second tower. Its greatest strength and its biggest weakness is the detail. It's worth a read to remind you about the tragedy of that day, but I found it a bit slow in parts. It's a pretty heavy book, so be ready for some punches in the gut if you buy it.

 

I'm just finishing up Hampton Sides "Amiericana," which is a collection of his essays loosely based on American culture. It's a good books from one of my favorite writers. He's got a way of seeing things a little bit different than anyone else.

 

I just read Cormac McCarthy's long-awaited new one -- No Country for Old Men.

Very good. Fits in with the Border Trilogy in that it is set along the Texas/Mexico border and features some similar characters. Not a cheery book, or one fully understood on the first read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Perks of Being a Wallflower -- Stephen Chbosky

GREAT book deals with a high school freshman who writes letters to an anonymous person, explaining the difficulties he's having with adolesence. Very moving and an extremely quick read. I highly recommend it.

 

Just started "The Odds" the other day, a book I got for 50 cents in the bargain bin at Media Play. It's written by Chad Millman, a former SI writer, and it covers the lives of three gamblers set against the backdrop of Vegas. Absolutely fascinating. If you like to gamble at all, or if you're just interested in how everything works in Vegas, I'd highly recommend it. I'm just flying through it.

 

Just wanted to second this, and also add a similar book, at least in subject: The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green, by Joshua Braff (brother of "Scrubs'" Zach). Both are equally incredible books about what it's really like to be a young person.

 

I met Chad a few years ago when he was working for ESPN the Mag (didn't know he worked for SI). He's a great writer and a really good guy. Thanks for the heads up Nate, I'll try to find his book on Amazon.