Holiday Reading

The title of this post may be a bit misinformed, since I tend to read an eclectic mix of things, but I wanted to share the three books I read while the library was closed for the holidays. After all the bustle was done, I was too tired to do anything but read!

How We Decide by Jonah Lehrer - This is a nonfiction Advanced Reader copy I received from the publisher. I've read a number of books on neuroscience and decision making, but there were several insights in this book I hadn't come across before. I won't ruin it since the discovery is part of the process. I read this just after Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, another fantastic book, and the two topics dovetailed nicely. This book comes out February 9th, 2009 and I highly recommend it. Place your reserve now!

The Presidential Book of Lists by Ian Randal Strock - As some of you know, I'm studying for a potential appearance on Jeopardy!. This was an engaging book of facts I did not know about the presidents. I learned that Woodrow Wilson is the only president buried in the nation's capital, among many other things. There was quite a bit of repetition, which might not be interesting to the curious, but for me it was good because the facts are now ingrained!

Shakespeare and Modern Culture by Marjorie Garber - I read the entirety of this 300+ page book on Christmas night. I love Shakespeare, and I love to be immersed in the plays and their criticism. This book by a Harvard professor was well-written, and again, I learned many things I did not know. If you have not read the plays, the book will not make a lot of sense (I found myself referring to my Riverside Shakespeare a few times). But for a fan like me, it was a lot of fun. Yes, I know I am a nerd.