Unlikely Disciple

I read, Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose, which was assigned to me by Book. As we have all said about our book challenge, the best part is horizon-expansion - and this book certainly probed new territory for me.

I struggled with this book, but not in a bad way. I struggled because this book will hold up a mirror to anyone on either side of the God divide.

Roose spent a semester at Liberty University, Jerry Falwell's evangelical university. He came away with a better understanding of what makes evangelicals tick. So, why was this a struggle? Two reasons. 1) It touches a blind-spot issue for me; 2) the author's undercover status.

I've always viewed Falwell and his ilk as being on the "wrong end of the fire hose" politically. In Jerry's case, this is a literal description because he fought the Civil Rights Act and was openly in favor of segregation. Although he repented later, its hard to know (and harder to convince myself) that the repentance was true rather than politically helpful.

Thus, I have always viewed his gay-bashing as particularly anger-inducing. It "smacks of the fire hose" from a person who held that political position before. Although I have debated the gay issue with close friends without animosity, I admit that it's a topic that requires regulation. And therein lies my struggle with this book.

I admit that I have a bit of a blind spot on this issue. And, many of the characters in this book have no problem saying what I would consider to be slurs on a daily basis. The author excuses it to a point by explaining the culture in which they live and were raised. I struggled with that justification. By the midpoint of this book I was very agitated and at times outright angry.

But, by the end, the whole picture came into better focus. I enjoyed the book overall and feel it had an impact. Any anger induced was a part of the greater experience. That experience led to a humanizing of a segment of our nation I don't get to see often. And, although humanizing does not equal agreement, it accomplished reflection on my part.

I also struggled with Roose's ruse. He had to mislead his classmates if this book was going to succeed. I get that. I understand that. But, every journalistic bone in my body is worn out waving red flags about it.

By the end, I understood why he had to go undercover, but that didn't mean it didn't feel awkward. Roose struggled with that ethical issue as well. Surprisingly, none of the students seemed bothered when he finally told them.

An impactful book leads to contemplation, and I don't think I'm done contemplating this one. I wont' be done for awhile.

Appreciation

The Nuggets became relevant again in 2003 when the unthinkable happened. It would have been typical for the Nuggets to get the third pick in a two-deep draft, and that's exactly what happened. And that's when rumors began that Detroit was prepared to pass over Carmelo Anthony with its second pick.

It was too good to be true. Melo took Syracuse to a national title and dominated the college game. If it were not for LeBron James, Melo would have been the consensus best player in the draft.

AND WE GOT HIM! And we got to watch plays like these below:



I first went to see Melo play as a rookie with Baggs in 2003-2004. We wanted to see the super rookie. He was immature, excitable and raw. He had braids and a slender frame. But, the talent just gushed. He took ill-advised shots and often forced the play. He was quick to temper and, once frustrated, his game would fall apart.

His shot was a work in progress for a few years, but his first step was untouchable and he could amaze in the blink of an eye. Baggs, Tom, Book and I would cringe when he forced the jumper, and implore him to drive to the hoop. Still, we knew what we had and we just loved watching him develop.

A rebuilding year ended in the playoffs that rookie year with a would-be temporary coach. It was a pleasant surprise and the creation of new expectations. From 2004 through 2007 we watched Melo tighten his game. We shared 10-game packages and went to as many games as possible, including playoffs.

The playoffs became regular, but our appetite was not satisfied with first-round losses. Still, beggars can't be choosers, and we were more than happy with the Melo-era Nuggets.

Meanwhile, Melo's game changed. His shot went from spotty to money. His drives became but one weapon in a growing arsenal. He became a master at drawing fouls and finishing at the hoop. But, best of all, he turned clutch... I'm talking "it's not if, but how" clutch. In a town used to John Elway magic, that's a trait we could get behind. See below.



Eventually, surprising playoff appearances became frustrating early exits. Frustrations grew and the organization gambled on pairing Melo with Allen Iverson after Melo threw a punch (OK, it was a slap) and ruined Dave's trip to Florida in the process. It was a forced marriage with AI and it brought out all of his old habits. But only temporarily.

That all changed in 2009 when Chauncey Billups brought the final piece to the puzzle. Pepsi Center rocked. Something felt different. Then, this happened:



Jon and I were at the game and experienced Pepsi Center at its pinnacle. A game 1 blowout was duplicated in game 2. Game 4 in New Orleans ended with a 58-point demolition. Something felt right.

The Dallas series featured Melo at his clutch best when he managed to leave an arena full of Texans stone-cold silent. His dagger 3 shut the whole lot of them up with authority. Texans. Silent. I mean, c'mon, that's a feat!

Although Denver lost to the eventual-champion Lakers in 6 games, no team fought them harder. They fought hard and made us proud. Mike, a die-hard Laker fan, said Denver scared him more than any other team that year.

It felt like 2009 was the beginning. We all settled in for a few more years of knocking on the door.

Injuries, cancer and bad timing derailed the 2010 campaign. Another first-round exit seemed like a bump in the road until all the drama began leading to this year. Without rehashing the drama of 2010-2011, I'll just say this season never had a chance. The team is splintered by the Melo drama and none of us can bring ourselves to follow. Playoff seed? I'm supposed to care about that? If he's gone it's over! There won't be any playoffs.

Will they start over? Will he stay? (No). It's been so frustrating.

This week, Baggs and I completed the circle and likely watched our last game of the Melo era in Denver. It was so fitting. Melo was brilliant in scoring 50 while Billups nursed an injury, Nene was out sick and the team played as dispirited as advertised.

We shot hoops on the Pepsi Center floor and walked out into a blizzard. It was so fitting. So much fun, but it just didn't end well. The 50 points seemed detached of emotion as the trade rumors wore the team down to nothing. The frustration seemed shared by team and fans. It felt like a funeral.

So, I decided to focus on the appreciation part. It seems like time to say good-bye. If not by the trade deadline then by next season at the latest, the Melo-era Nuggets will be no more. In any event, it's not going to be easy watching him go. I love basketball so much, and its been a real pleasure.

We've seen a deep playoff run, great performances, guts and heart on the court and we experienced the best string of winning seasons in team history. For all of that I say "Thank you" to the Melo man. I wish he would stay, but I understand. I hate it, but I do understand. Damn it all, but I do.

So, thanks for the nearly 14,000 points; for realizing your rebounding potential; for learning to try on defense; for making your game so complete; for never giving up on a game; for revitalizing Pepsi Center; and for turning into a star before our eyes. Its been fun. I just wish it didn't have to end like this.

News?

I spent time searching for the right word to describe my current disillusionment with the media. The word I settled on is "nugatory." It is defined as follows: "of no real value; trifling; worthless."

Obviously, not all journalists produce a product that falls into this category, but the most widely-available sources disproportionately render their own product nugatory.

This post has been simmering in me for awhile. I cannot say how many headlines have made me think of writing this post - there are too many to count. The one that finally pushed me to start writing?

"Jones-Drew: Apology to Cutler isn't coming." You can find this gem of breaking news at espn.com.

Ironically, I have been following sports news almost exclusively lately because political news had rendered my patience nugatory. At the center of my frustration with political news is its intense focus on petty arguments. I found no relief in the realm of sports news.

Sarah Palin caused my "tipping point" on CNN. I was once a regular reader of the "CNN Political Ticker" until its incessant fishing for clicks with Palin as the worm became so blatant as to render its credibility nugatory.

Headlines for the ticker would indicate which candidate declared for what district, what political appointment was set for confirmation hearings and such other relevant news. Sarah Palin was mentioned occasionally, but not too often. Then one day I noticed a pattern had developed: An equal number of pro- and con- Palin teasers on the main page attempted to lure lovers and haters of the most over-exposed would-be candidate in history.

I felt manipulated. I even indulged in some of the early anti-Palin headlines like "Poll shows bad news for Palin." But then I noticed the pattern. For every "bad news for Palin" teaser, an equal and opposite "good news for Sarah" teaser was sure to follow.

The rest of the ticker began to follow suit. And the reporting of childish spats began in earnest. Headlines like "X slams Y," "X jabbed Y," and "X chastises Y" became the norm. The headliner was always Palin, but the "meat" of the Ticker began to take on the same petty pandering to both sides of any number of grade-school type name-calling. Here's an example of what is currently on the CNN Political Ticker as I type this:

"Gore and O'Reilly trade jabs." (Wait, am I reading CNN or TMZ?)

"Limbaugh surprises Elton John." (He asked that John perform for him for an event rather than, oh, I don't know, try to kill him for being gay.)

"Snooki gushes over Dubya." (That's right, a @#&%ing reality star's opinion!)

"Boehner: Not sorry for tears." (Apparently Republicans are supposed to apologize for their emotions. On second thought, that makes sense.)

"Bush daughter breaks with dad on big issue." (The answer: Gay marriage. Its the only issue Republican family members seem to disagree on).

"Obama no longer the same?" (WTF? Seriously... WTF? It turns out he's now focusing on promises he can keep. Again, WTF? They make is sound like he took up drinking.)

"Gore says snow does not disprove global warming." (Um... do people think it does? And if they do, aren't those people too busy staring at their padded walls to read the ticker?)

To be fair, there are still a number of relevant posts and I cherry-picked the most egregious. But, still, I didn't even have to dig deep to find those turds. It's about 50-50 on ridiculous vs. relevant. The only shocker was that Palin was not as prominent today as usual (although there was a post that "Romney is up on Palin.")

That is the phenomenon that chased me to ESPN. To reward my decision, ESPN incessantly reported the various twitter comments made about Jay Cutler's inability to finish the NFC title game. And, that, ladies and gentlemen, led to a headline that Maurice Jones-Drew will not apologize.

I give up. Then I realized that I probably shouldn't expect more from a medium that became mainstream only because it offered porn on demand. Once I remembered that, this all made perfect sense.

Wired for The Wire

I have been plowing through HBO's The Wire and I can't get enough.

I am through four seasons of the five produced and I'm ready to call the fight off: The previous champ is down and The Wire stands as my all-time favorite show. The only way this can change now would be for the fifth season choke in epic fashion.

In general, I am very happy with the new trends in television shows. The cable channels have introduced shorter seasons with higher quality. A 13-episode season packs every episode with quality substance. I also like that more shows now script an ending rather than simply wait for cancellation.

I have a wide-ranging list of shows in my list of favorites: Family Guy, Lost, Mad Men, Battlestar Gallactica, Arrested Development and such. In recent years, I have been exposed to more quality shows than at any other era. There are more shows I want to see like Dexter, Breaking Bad and others. So, what makes The Wire different?

It's real. It's dark. It's balanced. It's appropriately uncomfortable. It's powerful. It's a view under the hood of our society, and the engine's chrome has lost much of its shine.

The Wire speaks to me more than it may to many of my friends or family, which is why I do not expect many people I know to feel the same way about it. But it's gold to me.

I see the grease of society and its inner workings on a fairly regular basis. It's just part of the job. The Wire deals with realities of the legal system, class structure, economic realities and brutal politics beautifully. All the while, it manages to humanize all sides.

I am fascinated by paradigms and by the amazing number of perspectives one event can inspire. The Wire will challenge the viewer to consider those perspectives. Have you ever been made to feel for and root for a drug slinger? You will. Have you ever rooted against the good guy? You will. You will also root for some good guys and against many bad ones. But, the lines are all appropriately gray.

So long as you have a high tolerance for violence, strong language and some disturbing concepts, you will love the show. It rewards you for your tolerance by making you think.

After watching the season finale to season 3, I got so deep in thought I could not sleep until almost 2 am. I ended up ordering the book Homicide: A year on the Killing Streets by David Simon (the creator of The Wire). I am now plowing through that book, a nonfiction account of Simons' year with the Baltimore Homicide Division. The Wire is a fictionalization of much of his experience as a reporter in Baltimore.

If you look for a mental challenge, an honest look at the underbelly of society and a compelling and thrilling ride, I recommend you watch The Wire.

On Second Thought...

See, this is what happens when I decide to look on the bright side.

Although I still support the positions expressed in my previous post, my optimistic view has been hijacked because I read about our financial mess. The book is called Griftopia, by Matt Taibi. I have never read a more anger-inducing book.

Now, all those other issues seem like window dressing. Important, yes, but ultimately small compared to ridding our country of the kinds of habits that have turned our financial structure into a house of cards in a ceiling-fan store.

Griftopia takes a very detailed look at the financial crisis of 2008 and how financial institutions ruined so much (it will make you ill); explains the systematic dismantling of regulations designed to enforce responsible practices (it will make you mad); details the irresponsible habits of state and local government (it will make you so very sad); and generally and thoroughly documents what is going on every day (it will make you spit).

I literally had to go on an "angry walk" after every chapter. I coined that phrase for just this book. I read entire chapters to Jen out loud. You have never seen so much head shaking or heard so many pained sighs.

The people who had a hand in the outright theft performed by our financial institutions should be in jail. Still, we are left with a mess whether they are in jail or not. The damage is done, but I'm not sure we have learned anything. By all indications, they are back to financial trickery and used the bailout money to build a bigger house of cards.

I am no Tea Partier, but I get the anger over financial irresponsibility. The problem with that movement is that it over-simplifies solutions. The biggest problem with this mess as I see it is that there is no clear solution. A deep understanding of the root-causes of this mess only lead to a deep foreboding.

No, this is beyond cutting budgets. This is beyond earmarks or such other political shrapnel. This is a problem so ingrained that every proposed-solution seems unrealistic.

I have asked myself many times whether this is simply the knee-jerk reaction of reading an inflammatory book or whether my reaction is merit-based. My conclusion? The book isn't as inflammatory as the facts it gives. I even disagreed with many of the author's conclusions. I even disagree with some of his inferences. However, the facts are there. And, although I do not choose to draw an exact conclusion, my own conclusions are not pretty either.

Now, everywhere I look, there are only more signs of cracks. The 60 Minutes segment I posted above will make your blood go cold. The book describes even more desperate measures being taken by various cities that make them seem like junkies pawning a blender to score $5.00. The best example was the City of Chicago selling its rights to collect its 36,000 parking meters for the next 75 years. All for quick cash now. It fixed a budget hole for one year.

The amounts of unfunded obligations are astounding. I do not know a solution, but things are going to have to get very painful and our sense of entitlement will have to be tested to the limit. None of this is far off. I am starting to see 2008 as merely the initial reaction of hands without callous. The next few years will beat those callouses into us, whether we like it or not.

I am not going to blame this on any one administration or any particular point in our history. Greed, irresponsibility and foolishness like this runs very deep. This isn't political at this point. It's bigger than that.

I really wonder what things will look like in 10 years. Hope may not be lost, but I think the status quo is about to leave permanently. Leaders will have to step up and do things that are VERY unpopular.

Oh yeah... one more thing for those who just have to have an overly-simple catch phrase: we cannot cut taxes every election cycle and also have nice things.

Why Everything is Just Fine

I am starting to feel like the only content citizen these days. I'm certain that I'm not, but like-minded folks are either hard to find or stay quiet at home.

I'm very happy that the 2010 election is over. I'm not overly upset with the results, but I am annoyed by all the chatter, as usual. Of course, none of it surprises me. It's just part of the cycle. I'm hearing apocalyptic rantings from the right, incessant whining from the left and "disappointment" from the middle. But, here's the rub: I have received pretty much exactly what I hoped for when I cast my vote for Barrack Obama and his agenda. Below, I explain why.

To steal a quote from Louis C.K., "Everything is amazing, and no one is happy."

While things aren't "amazing" with the economy, things are better and the man who won the 2008 election has been working through his list just as promised. I know the rhetoric was sweeping, but I certainly hope I wasn't the only one who expected the results to be merely realistic.

HEALTH CARE

It has been reformed in a major way. Was it the wholesale changes the left wanted? No. Did it constitute a literal non-action as desired by the right? No. Was it a compromise? Yes. Was it watered down? Yes. Did it go far enough? No. It never does. our system does not allow it to.

Did it pass? YES. By THREE votes in the House on a reconciliation vote.

That should tell us something. That should tell us that it was not a slam dunk and no one had the power to force the magic number of votes. This wasn't imposed, it wasn't shoved down any throats and it wasn't a shuffling of deck chairs. It was reform born of compromise. Unfortunately, the best settlements leave both sides upset. That's life.

It's also exactly how the system was designed to work. So spare me the talk of our "broken" system. It functions exactly how it was meant to: Slowly, maddeningly, deliberately and with all the runaway momentum of a milkshake through a stirring straw.

Does that make reform either a tyrannical abomination or a weak cop-out and betrayal to legitimate reform? No.

I am as annoyed by those who bitch that it didn't have a public option as those who call it socialist. Why? Because neither sides seems able to understand that IT NEVER WORKS ANY OTHER WAY. A public option would have failed by 100 votes. So, stop it.

Republicans chose not to participate, which made this whole process less satisfying, but that was their choice and success followed anyway. We can't pretend Republicans don't exist any more than we can pretend all Dems would have voted for a public option.

IRAQ

Did everyone forget that this war is over? It's done now. We're staying, yes. But we've stayed everywhere we've ever fought. We don't build "temporary bases." That's life in a geopolitical world, but the war part of it is over and we can move on.

Thank you, Mr. President, for ending the war responsibly. Why does no one talk about this? Big accomplishment.

ECONOMY

We have job growth. Is it enough? No, but tell me what would have done it quicker (and don't say tax cuts alone). Reforms were added for Wall Street and banking. Was it enough? No. But, again, it never is. Remember when I explained how the system works above. This should no longer surprise anyone.

But, this slow process seems to shock people to outrage every single year, with every administration and every election. The minority thanks it for slowing "the march to socialism/aristocracy" and then rails against it when it slows that party's march toward its goals.

The economy still stinks, but I think we all knew this wasn't going to be easy and I support the measures that were taken to stop a deeper fall and get things on the road to improvement. We have less actual control than we think and are, to a degree, along for the ride. Reforms are like steering a runaway car away from obstacles... it doesn't actually stop the car. Still, its worth swerving even if we have to weather the storm.

AFGHANISTAN

This war is now in its 10th year or so. Afghanistan seems to be one of the most difficult and complicated scenarios we have faced since Vietnam. There are very few satisfying options for ending this conflict.

I supported this war when it was started because it involved a direct response to a direct attack. It led to the removal of a regime that openly sheltered, supported and strengthened organizations that have attacked our nation multiple times. Removal was justified.

President Obama was charged with the responsibility to help end this most difficult of conflicts now that we are faced with ending it responsibly. Much like Iraq, this is not a simple task. I'm not willing to express too strong a position one way or the other, but I trust the President's thinking, philosophy and judgment to do what is right in a difficult situation.

I wish him and our troops the best. I try not to spout too many platitudes or proclamations that might over-simplify this mess.

PIE IN THE SKY

I was disappointed when Jon Stewart started taking shots at the President and comparing his phrases in speeches as a candidate to his words as President. For one, I did not think there was a disconnect. Hopeful language about what we can do if we work together is not the same as saying it will be easy.

In politics, and in life really, disappointment is a constant companion. The only tactic to take is to manage it by balancing anything against the possible.

I am happy. I am content. I trust the judgment of our President. I agree philosophically with his solutions.

Just because I am happy, however, does not mean I necessarily mourn the recent Republican victory in the House. All progress is met with backlash and resistance. It has political consequences. If you need any further proof that Health Care Reform was sweeping, look no further than the political fallout of 2010. This is not necessarily a bad thing. I hope it yields cooperation, but I will not be surprised if it merely bogs everything down. This is the equivalent of getting a piece of ice stuck in that stirring straw I mentioned.

My only concern is that the Republicans will now resort to endless investigations and subpoenas rather than taking this opportunity to be a part of the solution. That is that party's problem. I hope for the best.

FINAL THOUGHT

Have you ever noticed how a politician's job seems to be heavy on TV appearances, campaigning, making speeches and supporting other candidates? Well, if you think about it, when exactly do they read these laws, contemplate votes or otherwise actually investigate the right thing to do?

Because they spend so much time in the campaign/political realm of the job, that's what we hear. The scary scenarios, the talking points and over-simplification. It happens every time.

It's possible the reason no one considers the actual merit of things is that no one talks about it.

I'm trying to give it some voice. One person's effort to admit being content.

A Sorting of Books

I now unveil my rankings to determine "Joe's top five books of the year for 2010." Much like the Bowl Championship Series and its crowning of the college football champion, not all books are eligible for top-5 status and the playing field is as even as a spice rack made by a toddler.

I will rank my top-5 for the year and then lump most of the others in various categories. I'll try to comment at least briefly on each. I may yet finish another handful of books, so this list is subject to my final update at the end of the year. Unlike last year, I enjoyed almost every book I read. I think the overall quality of the books I read contributed to my new personal best.

So far, I have read 33 books this year, both obliterating my previous record and being destroyed by Book, who read approximately 582 books this year. Without further ado...

** Denotes a top-5 overall within its individual category.

MY BEHAVIOR SCIENCE KICK

I went on a real behavior science kick this year. I have changed how I operate on a daily basis because of these books.

** Predictably Irrational, by Dan Ariely (Kindle). This book set the standard. I loved this book. As you can see, it landed in the top-5. More on this book later.

Mistakes Were Made (but not by me), by Carol Tavris (Kindle). The next best book I read under this category, and a candidate for top-5. A phenomenal look at irrational behavior within the context of human interactions.

Sway, the Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior, by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman (Kindle). This book offered much less and repeated much of what I have read from Malcolm Gladwell and other behavior science books. This seemed like the "Cliffs Notes" version of the above-referenced books.

Voodoo Histories, by David Aaronovitch. (Kindle). Many people believe all sorts of conspiracies and take on leaps of logic with an "Evel Knievel" determination. The winner for most delusional? Those who dismiss "car accident" as entirely to simplistic an explanation for Princess Diana's death in a car while being chased by photographers. In short: The suspension-of-logic Olympics.

Freakonomics, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen Dubner (Kindle). A very good illumination of the counter-intuitive elements of life.

Super-Freakonomics, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen Dubner (Kindle). A forced and inferior follow up.

SPORTS

I enjoy sports books. I was also desperate to fill my football gap with books. What else could I do? All my teams sucked this year. Every one of them have disappointed. I needed a crutch.

Loose Balls, by Terry Pluto. I covered this book in a previous post. Fun and hilarious.

The Book of Basketball, by Bill Simmons. I read it again this year because this book rocks!

The Jordan Rules, by Sam Smith. Great insight into Jordan's Bulls and their first championship season. I always enjoy books that track an entire season. I am always interested in the day-to-day grind of an NBA season. I remember this season vividly because I was emotionally invested in MJ's first title that year. I loved this team and appreciate how much goes on in a given season. I especially loved learning that Adrian Dantley (who ruined Denver's playoff run last year) was a cancer as a player as well! (I'm a bitter fan).

Blood, Sweat and Chalk, by Tim Layden (Kindle). I good history of the NFL and how offenses and defenses have evolved. I actually watch football with a better eye for having read this book.

Seven Games That Changed the Game, by Ron Jaworski (Kindle). Every bit as good as Layden's book. There was some overlap, but Jaworski's book included more back stories and snapshots in time. My only complaint? You can literally hear Jaws shout this book in your head while reading it. That gets old.

BadAsses, by Peter Richmond (Kindle). I still feel guilty for reading this while listening to Denver lose 59-14 at home to the Raiders. The book satisfied my need for a football book during a disaster season all around and my need to read about crazy people. Win-win.

If You Can't Join 'em Beat 'em, by Sal Maiorana (Kindle). A short oral history of the AFL. Formulaic, but informative.

WIDE RANGING NON-FICTION

** Memoirs of the Second World War, by Winston Churchill. Epic.

Last Words, by George Carlin. This book was in the works as an autobiography. It was published after Carlin's death. It was an interesting history of an all-time great comedian.

Mozart: A Life, by Peter Gay (Kindle). I posted on this book earlier. This was yet another book that satisfied my thirst for knowledge of emotionally-unstable people.

Live From New York, by Tom Shales and James Miller (Kindle). An oral history of SNL. A decent book, but mostly just a guilty-pleasure read about dirty laundry. The biggest problem was the number of key cast members who did not participate. Honestly, this book needed Eddie Murphy. Without him, it was fun. With him, it would have been amazing (I can only assume, but I think this is a safe bet). Oh, yeah... and Lorne Michaels needed a cigarette after this book was published.

Into Thin Air, by John Krakauer. (Kindle). Heather assigned this one to me. It was interesting to find out what thin air does to a person.

** Hellhound on His Trail, by Hampton Sides (Kindle). A gripping account. More below.

Game Change, by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann (Kindle). The inside story of the 2008 election. I blogged about this below.

Killing yourself to live, by Chuck Klosterman (Kindle). Klosterman travels to various locations where musicians met their end, but the book is really more about the journey and his musings. A fun read about a road trip.

Hitman, by Bret Hart (Kindle). I blogged about this one as well. A fun read about the train-wreck world of pro wrestling. Debauchery, etc.

**Guns, Germs and Steele, by J. Diamond (Kindle). A staggering work. More below.

TOKEN FICTION
The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larson (Kindle). Just a great read. I can see why this book was an international phenomenon. Throw in European sensibilities and its a unique fiction. I called the end, but the rest of the story was worth it.

The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman. Book assigned this one to me. It was interesting. This book was nothing like I expected, which isn't necessarily bad.

V for Vendetta, by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. Gotta love V. For once, the movie was better. Still, a fun read.

**Animal Farm, by George Orwell. (Kindle).

PURE ENJOYMENT

Sh*t My Dad Says, by Justin Halpern. I laughed until I cried. I read this book at the exact right time. It was a perfectly-timed injection of comedy.

Earth (the book), by Jon Stewart. I laughed until I cried with this one as well. I am looking for a loophole to name this a top-5. Somehow, this book eclipsed America (the book). I cannot get enough Daily Show humor.
MISCELLANEOUS

Montessori at Home, by Heidi Spietz. Jen and I are reading up on Montessori so that Jacob will not miss out on the philosophy while at home.

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, by Dave Eggers. I loved this book at times and struggled with it at times. By the midpoint, I was certain it was a top-5. It is described as "fierce," which it was at times. This was a late scratch from top-5. Had I read it later in the year, it may have been on the list. A unique style and a compelling story. It hit a little close to home a few times. I'll just call this book the "Boise State" of my BCS. Too bad Eggers wasn't part of the establishment or he would have been given a title shot.

Fargo Rock City, by Chuck Klosterman (Kindle). An entire book about 80s hair bands. I remembered so many of the bands and music videos, which was equal parts awesome and sad. Entirely too much analysis of canned music for my taste, but a fun read about music from a true fan. Although I never put more than 5 minutes of thought into the music described, it was strangely interesting to read about Klosterman's deep thoughts thereon.

IV, by Chuck Klosterman (Kindle). A collection of essays by one of my favorite essayists. As always, fun to read.
TOP FIVE (INCLUDING THE PREDETERMINED WINNER)

5. Animal Farm, by George Orwell. (Kindle).

I loved this book. In short, the animals at one farm rise up and take control. Everything is fine until the "new" leaders become the "old" oppressors. I loved how the pigs try to become human. This work was a great illustration of how things don't always improve when people get their way. I can't believe I waited so long to read this book.

4. Predictably Irrational, by Dan Ariely (Kindle).

After reading a lot of train-wreck accounts, I finally decided to look into irrationality as a whole. I tend to be more rational than the average bear and I genuinely do not understand why so many people are so comfortable making terrible decisions over and over. Through experiments, illustrations and study, Ariely proves that we are consistently and predictably irrational. Countless companies take advantage of our hyper-strong desire to get something for free. We will pay a lot of money to get even insignificant items so long as they are "free." He looks at how the mind consistently tricks itself and utilizes rationalization. One of the most helpful books I have ever read.

3. Hellhound on His Trail, by Hampton Sides (Kindle)

I blogged about this below. This book read like a thriller and takes the reader into the hunt for MLK by the FBI; then MLK by James Earl Ray; and finally, into the hunt for Ray after the murder. I love non-fiction, and if every non-fiction read like this one, everyone else would, too.

2. Guns, Germs and Steele, by J. Diamond (Kindle)

Diamond asks one of the boldest and most uncomfortable questions about human history: Why did certain societies and people progress faster than others? He answers that question definitively. Although his book was very, very detailed and thick with information, I think his conclusion is simple. The mass of information proves his simple conclusion conclusively in my mind. The difference? Chance. Geography. I am convinced that any group of people, if they began civilization at the Fertile Crescent, would have been the ones to thrive rather than suffer. This book was not always easy to read (and sometimes downright difficult), but it earned the Pulitzer it won.

1. Memoirs of the Second World War, by Winston Churchill.
What can I say. I felt like a fly on the wall during the planet's most destructive war. To read Churchill's first-hand account of the most seismic global war was a thrill. I read the abridged version of Churchill's six volumes, but the level of detail was extraordinary. He does not hide his version of events, but he makes no apologies for attempting to write history. I learned so much about events, emotions, day-to-day fears, setbacks lost in the greater story, politics at the breaking point when nations were at stake, and difficulty of making decisions of a magnitude I will never experience. Churchill maintained humor, wrote thoughtfully about amazing events, and did so with dignity and honor. This was the first book I read in 2010, and I knew even then that it was going to finish right here.