Brainiac / Prisoner of Trebekistan

Jeopardy! fans rejoiced this past September when two books on the popular TV show were published at the same time. Well, this Jeopardy! fan rejoiced, at least. Brainiac, the first title, was written by the powerhouse 74-time champ, Ken Jennings, and Prisoner of Trebekistan was penned by five-time champ and multiple tournament participant Bob Harris. Indeed, the books complement each other. Jennings's book is a mix of his experiences on the show and anecdotes on the wild world of trivia buffs. His journey from anonymous computer programmer to famous know-it-all is fascinating, and it's interspersed with facts about college quiz bowls, radio trivia contests, and pub trivia (you know, those Playmaker things you get at Damon's on rib night). Harris's book is more of a biography, but it has special meaning to Clevelanders, as Harris is from Mentor, Ohio. He equates his losses on the show to those of the Browns and Indians, and in typical Cleveland fashion, he kept coming back for more. Overall, I found both of these titles highly enjoyable, and as a potential Jeopardy! contestant, I'll keep them in my reference library.