Top Ten for 2010

We have a new entrant into the top 5. This is what happens when you write a year-end account and then read five more books.

And, because I managed a personal best 41 books for the year, I have been talked into expanding my list to a top 10. What follows is a brief description of the last five books I read and my short top 10 list for the year.

Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris.

This book was a candidate for top 10 and was hard to leave off. I really like Sedaris' writing and enjoyed this book thoroughly. His humor is clever and his essays are thoughtful and entertaining. I will now enter 2011 looking to exhaust his works as I did with Chuck Klosterman.

Monday Morning Quarterback, by Peter King.

Dave loaned me this book and it was a quick and fun read. The top 100 player list does not age well even one year later. I had a lot of fun poking fun of that list. Much of this information was taken from King's MMQB column, so I had read much of it, but it was still interesting. Ultimately unremarkable. King is best read as a source of news rather than a book of older columns (which are all very "newsy" and doesn't age well).

** Griftopia, Bubble Machines, Vampire Squids, and the Long Con that is Breaking America, by Matt Taibi (Kindle).

This is the book that jumped into the top 5.

Shadow Season by Tom Picirilli (Kindle).

Another top-10 book. I really enjoyed this book. I was very well written and I very much enjoyed how the characters are flushed out so that you really feel like you understand that character's paradigm. The strength of this book was its character development. Some of the phrases that made me smile:

"Sometimes the girls want to hug him, the way people like to coo at babies or pick up midgets." (about a blind man).

"A blind man taking good care of his library. If the comment is silly, the fact is absurd."

Very, very well written and thought out. I also liked the story and enjoyed the pace and suspense.

Free Darko presents The Undisputed Guide to Pro Basketball History.

A book to keep near the throne. Interesting, but so much of what I read was already hashed out by The Book of Basketball that this was like picking up the crumbs. Interesting takes on Allen Iverson and Shaq.

Death to the BCS, by Dan Wetzel and Josh Peter (Kindle).

I hate the BCS and now I know they are lying to me. I always suspected it, but now I know. Dave said it was "damning" and he was right. This organization continues to keep college football from being all it could be. The entire bowl system is a joke.

TOP 10

10. Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson and Shadow Season, by Tom Picirilli (Tie).

Fast paced, well told stories. Dragon Tattoo was one of the better page-turners I've read in a long time. Shadow Season is neck-and-neck and earned this spot with its clever phrasings and character descriptions (accomplished in much fewer pages).

9. Mistakes were Made (but not by me), by Carol Tavris.

Very good complement to Predictably Irrational and a real study in human behavior.

8. Consider the Lobster, by David Foster Wallace.

I have read a lot of Dostoevsky lately, so his essay about the Russian master really spoke to me. His other essays were well written, well-thought out and enjoyable. Only the one about being picky about grammar dragged on.

7. Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, by Dave Eggers.

My comments about this book from my previous post stand.

6. Animal Farm, by George Orwell.

Something had to fall once Griftopia made it's push.

5. Griftopia, Bubble Machines, Vampire Squids, and the Long Con that is Breaking America, by Matt Taibi (Kindle).

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.

My top 4 remain unchanged:

4. Predictably Irrational, by Dan Ariely (Kindle).
3. Hellhound on his Trail, by Hampton Sides (Kindle).
2. Guns, Germs and Steele, by Jared Diamond (Kindle).
1. The Second World War, by Winston Churchill.

50 Books; Part One- Say what you will for Skynet, It makes one helluva librarian

(Since I have hit 50 books, twice our goal, I thought I'd write on two big reasons why I have smashed the goal so easily)

My Parents chose Betamax.  This should be remembered.

I don't know why they picked Betamax over VHS. I just recall that at a young age that the number of movies that we could pick at the rental store went down and down, until the beta-player went into the closet, and it was a couple of years before we got a VCR. Years spent listening to kids talk about the cool new movies they got to watch.  This sounds inconsequential, but I was 10.  My world was rocked.  What followed was the shame of constantly being behind the curve on the latest electronics. Deals struck and chores completed would finally earn a used video-game system, to be reviled by other kids who had just received the next generation consoles.

The gadget-lag lasted until my 20's, when working for a living opened up the means to indulge my long-suffering ache to buy the newest toys.  I collected dvd's like football cards.  I found the simplistic solitary joy of losing yourself in your MP3 player.  I stared and drooled over the 42'' HDTV.  A lot.  And I felt like I was caught up.

And that's when Joe told me about the Kindle.  It was a gift, it was new, and it was the wave of the future.  Books you could read electronically and, oh, how he loved it.  It was all I heard about.  I tried to play it cool, tease him about his obsession, but inside I seethed jealously.  And so, the plan hatched.  Last christmas, I told the family, no clothing, no movies, no old-fashioned decrepit papery books, all I wanted was a Nook. (I selected the nook over the Kindle because I already was donating a sizeable portion of my paychecks to Barnes and Noble, and if hookers have taught me anything, you always stick with your pimp, no matter how hard he hits you...or your wallet. Hookers can teach us so much.)

So I got my nook, and it was everything it promised to be.  The e-ink that's so easy on the eyes that it couldn't help but actually improve your vision. The touchscreen that allows for easy freedom of movement between books, meaning I can switch between books with no effort, meaning I can now live my dream of constantly reading 5 books at one time.  The storage space to fit the entire library of alexandria in the little 8'' x 5'' bundle of joy that I take everywhere with me. It's my new best friend.  Sorry Cadillac, you lose.

Two weeks ago Barnes and Noble sent me an e-mail announcing their newest creation- Nookcolor.  The Nook with a color screen, and so many new features.  I'm happy with what I have, with no plans to change to the newest fad just because.

But, next time I'm at the B&N store...wouldn't hurt to take a look, would it?

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 too 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.

Hellhound on His Trail

"It seemed like he reached down and pulled everything out of his heart." ..."I was full of joy and determination. Wherever King was, I wanted to be there. It seemed to me from where I was sitting, his eyes glowed." -- Witnesses to MLK's last speech, featured above.

I very much enjoyed reading Hellhound on His Trail, by Hampton Sides. The book details seemingly every fact known about the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The clip I embedded above is footage of a speech Dr. King gave less than 24 hours before he was murdered. He gave this speech without notes during a heavy storm. His mood had been depressed and he was searching for a second wind. The prospect of assassination seemed ever present.

Hampton Sides explores first the stalking of Dr. King by J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI, then the stalking of Dr. King by James Earl Ray and, finally, the stalking of James Earl Ray by the FBI. The story is one of intrigue, and is written in a novel-style. The hunt for James Earl Ray is a lesson in police investigation and in evasion.

The following elements (among others) led authorities to Ray: Dry cleaning tags, fingerprints, receipts, eye-witness accounts, an oil-change sticker, a bar tending school photo, Royal Mounted Police, Scotland Yard, hair samples and more man hours than you can imagine considering all this was done without computers.

Some highlights from the book:

-- Dr. King: "Each of us is two selves. The great burden of life is to always try to keep that higher self in command." This quote just rocks.

-- Dr. King (again): "We must learn to live together as brothers or we will perish together as fools."

-- Jesse Jackson embellished his involvement at the moment King was shot. He hired a public relations agent and was on the Today Show the next day. To be polite, I'll just say other Civil Rights leaders "disagreed" with his story. I'll let James Bevel tell the other side of the story:

"To prostitute and lie about the crucifixion of a prophet within a race for the sake of one's own self-aggrandizement is the most gruesome crime a man can commit." James Bevel. Lets just say Rev. Jackson isn't a hero in the book.

-- From President Lyndon B. Johnson on the rioting in response to the murder: "What did you expect? I don't know why we're so surprised. When you put your foot on a man's neck and hold him down for three hundred years, and they you let him up, what's he going to do? He's going to knock your block off."

-- James Earl Ray: "I should have pulled a holdup in Canada. That's where I made my mistake. I let myself get on that plane to London without enough money to get where I intended to go."

-- James Earl Ray, who was an escapee from prison before he killed King, told other inmates that killing Dr. King was his "retirement plan." If I ever get to the streets, I'm going to kill him." This statement didn't do a thing to stop conspiracy talk.

-- James Earl Ray made some very foolish mistakes. Those include these two gems: 1) While trying to rob a jewelry store in London to supplement his dwindling cash supply, the owner's wife, a lady in her late fifties, jumped on his back. Her husband then wrestled him to the ground and struck him several times. Ray fled. 2) He robbed a bank in London only to trade a perfect thumb-print matching the one found at the crime scene and on the weapon for 95 pounds cash. Oops.

-- Wait, that isn't close to the dumbest thing Ray did. While in custody awaiting extradition to the US, "Ramon George Sneyd" ranted about how he never met "this guy Ray" and how they absolutely had the wrong guy. After Ray calmed down and the British officer asked if they could do anything for him while he awaited extradition, he asked that his brother be notified. The agent said he would do that and asked for contact information. Ray's response?

"Oh, he lives in Chicago. His name is Jerry Ray."

D'oh!

Conspiracies

Obviously, people don't need much help concocting conspiracies. But, if you read this book and care about evidence, you really would have a hard time concluding anything other than that Ray worked alone. Conspiracy theories ranged from the FBI to militant black groups to communists to the mafia and to Southern racists.

My theory? People just don't like it that one nut can do so much damage by doing something rash. Based on the physical evidence presented in this book, you'd have to be looking for a conspiracy and determined to find one to conclude otherwise.

Overall, this book reads like a crime thriller, but it also maintains credibility as a legitimate work of non-fiction. The PBS documentary "American Experience: Roads to Memphis" is featured below and follows much of the book. I recommend this book highly.

Maestro

I just finished "Mozart: A Life" by Peter Gay. This book is from the Penguin Life Series, which also produced the Winston Churchill book I read last year. So, it was a short introduction to Mozart without deep details.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is my favorite composer. I also think he created more of the world's best music than any single human who has ever walked the earth. But, what inspired me to read an introductory biography was all of the rumored eccentricities of this genius. I was looking for context to the wonderful music I enjoy (well, that and interesting tidbits).

I am always fascinated by anyone we all agree qualifies as a "genius." As a devoted believer that no person can ever achieve alone, I always like to see how any biographer articulates the makings of genius.

Mozart certainly qualifies as brilliant based on his obvious natural gifts. And, like many savants, Mozart certainly balanced his musical brilliance with weaknesses or "eccentricities" in other realms (in Mozart's case those include financial management and fart jokes). As with all fully-developed geniuses, Mozart's gifts were fostered early and he passed the 10,000-hour mark for practice before most musicians could read sheet music. And, like all child stars, his father donated Mozart's childhood to the betterment of his son's craft.

TALENT

I'll get the superlatives out of the way first.

-- Mozart taught himself to play the violin before he was seven. He also played the harpsichord and organ by age eight.

-- Before he was eight, he had written sonatas for violin, harpsichord and other instruments. The following year he composed his first symphony.

-- He began working on opera by age 12.

-- Mozart left home with his father to tour Europe to perform for all sorts of nobility when he was six years old. When Mozart and his father returned home to Mozart's mother, her little boy was 10. (how many hours of practice do you suppose he logged on THAT trip?)

-- Mozart's sister, Nannerl, was an early blooming musician as well. But her four-year-old brother kept pace somehow even though her talent was considerable for her age.

-- Although he died by the age 35, Mozart produced as much music as composers who lived into their 70s. In the last year of his life alone, he wrote three Operas, most of the Requiem, and many quintets, concertos and other works. His pace never slowed even as his relationship with his father deteriorated.

-- Evidence suggests Mozart had a photographic memory. Anecdotes include tales of him finishing a piece in his head and then merely sitting down to write the finished product in one sitting.

So, he had talent. That is obvious. Although I am sure many of the stories have been embellished with time, there is no doubt this guy was more than the real deal.

But the miracle of Mozart seems to be that his unique focus overcame the self-destruction mechanism so prominent in most child stars. He seemed to have a genuine dedication to music that allowed him to thrive under extraordinary paternal pressure. He was even boastful of his talents and would defend himself by writing, "but it is true."

He was somehow able to continue a breakneck pace through his entire life that could be driven only by love or obsessive compulsion. All of this was on his own motivation even after his father's estrangement and then death. It is possible he worked himself to death making music (well, that and Rheumatic fever).

If Mozart's positive reaction to pressure while a young child star strikes you as odd, that isn't the only thing that will.


QUIRKS

The author stated that Mozart liked "scatology and anal humor." The thing that slayed me, though, was that the same sense of humor was evident from BOTH of his parents as well. Truth is usually crazier than fiction.

Some excerpts from letters written by Mozart to various people in his life:

-- "Now I wish a good night, shit into your bed until it creaks."

-- "My ass burns like fire! What can that mean! Perhaps muck wants out? Yes, yes, muck, I know you, see you, and taste you - and - what is this? - is it possible? - Ye Gods! - My ear, do you deceive me? - No, that's not how it is - what a long, sad sound!"

-- "be sure to come, otherwise it's a shit; then I shall, in my own high person, compliment you, put a seal on your ass, kiss your hand, shoot off the rear gun, embrace you, clean you behind and in front, pay to the last penny whatever I owe you, and sound out a solid fart, and perhaps let something drop."

-- (to his wife) ... "Prepare your dear, most beautiful nest daintily, for my little boy indeed deserves it; he has behaved himself very well and wishes for nothing but to possess your most beautiful ... Just imagine the rascal: as I write this, he sneaks onto the table and looks at me inquiringly. But far from idle I cuff his nose properly... now the rogue burns even more furiously and is almost out of control."

His other "quirk" was an inability to manage his money. Despite verifiable proof of earnings that would have been more than comfortable for his time, Mozart wrote letters full of shameful begging for money to his friends. By all accounts, his lifestyle would not bend to reality. I am always fascinated when I see brilliant people struggle with the most basic things. It sometimes makes me wonder if the price of true genius is complete idiocy in other facets of life. It isn't a hard-and-fast rule, but it sure is interesting to me.

RUMORS

Enough mystery has attached itself to Mozart to make him a bit of an international curiosity. He died at the tender age of 35 while working on a Requiem for an unnamed stranger. Although this led to many rumors about him being poisoned, it turns out the truth is much more mundane.

The author calls rumors of Salieri's involvement in Mozart's death to be preposterous. (On a side note, the movie is still awesome and I recommend it highly). It turns out Rheumatic fever, combined with the horrible treatment option of "bleeding out" worked in concert to end his brilliance early.

As for the stranger looking for a requiem, he was merely attempting to steal the work as his own. A rich nobleman and aspiring musician known to purchase musical works from struggling composers only to pass them off as his own was the mystery man who ordered the Requiem.

The fact that Mozart was being taken by a fraud and that the piece that fraud inspired has since become his most celebrated piece somehow makes perfect sense.

Loose Balls

My love of basketball has survived even an epic Denver Nugget collapse this season. To fill the gap, I read Loose Balls, by Terry Pluto. And I loved it.

Loose Balls is basically the oral history of the American Basketball Association. It is also one of the funniest books I have ever read. When Semi-Pro was released, I figured it was just another gross exaggeration of just how ghetto the ABA was. In reality, it was pretty much right on. Although no one wrestled a bear during an ABA halftime show, the crazy promotions weren't that far off.

The fact that this league lasted 9 seasons is a testament to the daring of the owners, pure luck and some really innovative thinking.

Some of those innovative ideas worked better than others.

"Brownie Night" led to one fan being booed when he announced, after winning 1,000 brownies in a drawing, that he was diabetic (sorry Dave). Gimmicks included hiring Wilt Chamberlain to coach a the San Diego Conquistadors; using the famous red-white-and-blue balls; adding a three-point line (now an NBA staple); artificially inflating contracts by using annuities to make the payouts far, far down the road (the Dolgroff Plan); scantily clad women at games (another feature now in the NBA); and a vast assortment of game-day gimmicks.

ABA teams came and went pretty randomly. It took almost 6 seasons before every team remained in the same city. The Virginia Squires managed to trade or sell the following players over the course of two years: Dr. J, Rick Barry, George Gervin, Charlie Scott, and Swen Nater. Teams were so strapped for cash that they would do anything just to stay afloat.

So, what kept a league going for 9 years even though it was never far from Bankruptcy? Well, for one, they decided to sign underclassmen and challenge the NBA's assertion that underclassmen could not turn pro. It turns out that Courts aren't real restrictive on things like a person's right to make a living.

Signing underclassmen and high schoolers led to the ABA landing such names as Julius "Dr. J" Erving, George McInnis, Marvin Barnes, David Thompson, Moses Malone and many others.

The three-point shot turned out to be a big hit and opened up the middle. Fans loved the ABA slam dunk contest. Even the colorful ball was the league's biggest giveaway item.

The league may have featured teams being kicked out of hotels for non-payment and it survived playing some games in a hanger, but it did leave a lasting impression on the NBA and made that league much more interesting and exciting.

Other staples of the league included fighting, afros and a wide-open style. It also featured some of the biggest nut-cases who were deemed unworthy of the NBA. On that note, I'll relay the story of Marvin Barnes complaining about his team's unselfishness... for failing to pass him the ball in the last two minutes so he could score 50 points in a blowout loss.

You have GOT to love the ABA!

I loved this book so much that I sought and received a pass to re-read Bill Simmons' The Book of Basketball. It has been like reading it for the first time because of my deeper understanding of the old-time players. I now have funny stories to help me keep everything straight.

Theodore Rex and the Power Of Reality Checks

There's a danger to having a taste for histories and biographies.  It's inevitable: you get attached to a person, or a particular story; you have a romantic idea of how things were, and then Wham!  There always comes a book that knocks out your paradigm from beneath your feet.  Case in point (and not to pick on my co-blogger), Joe was a huge Lance Armstrong fan.  He read Lance's book, and then made me read it.  He immersed himself in the Tour de France, and dragged me along for the ride. (Full disclosure: I can be talked into watching most any non-golf related sport, so, yeah, it wasn't that big a fight)  He also defended Armstrong, loudly and repeatedly.  Anytime anybody would bring up doping, they would be met with "MOST TESTED ATHLETE IN THE WORLD!"  End of discussion.

Of Wrestling and Politics

I just finished reading Game Change about the 2008 Presidential election and I was struck by how similar the world of politics is to the world of professional wrestling. And soap operas. I loved every page of the book, but felt mildly dirty for enjoying it.

A majority of the book deals with the Democratic primaries for obvious reasons. The Democrats had a much longer and more intense fight for the party's nomination. The book focuses on the three top candidates: Obama, Clinton and John Edwards. It also breaks down the Republican primary and the general, but the Democratic primary took the majority.

The reason this book made me think of professional wrestling is not simply my recent reading of Hitman. I thought of wrestling because of how much of campaigning is BS and how both sides of a given story KNOW it's BS, yet turn the political knife anyway. For example, in the general election between Obama and McCain, the book stated unequivocally that the McCain campaign knew darn well that Obama's famous "lipstick on a pig" comment had nothing to do with Sarah Palin. They demanded an apology to court Hillary supporters and women in general and to put the Obama campaign on the defensive. I single this story out because of how explicitly the book stated that no one in the McCain camp actually thought Obama meant Palin. I must mention, that Republicans certainly were not alone in this tactic.

Each campaign would be both embarrassed and flattered by its portrayal in this book. There were tales of opportunism, brilliance and underhandedness everywhere and no campaign was spared. The Obama campaign looked the best, but was clearly not immune from playing in the mud.

Some observations:

-- I was shocked that the title of "craziest person" in any campaign was not won by the odds-on favorites (Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin in whatever order), but rather by Elizabeth Edwards. This shocked me because I never saw Mrs. Edwards as a candidate in the race for nut-job of the campaign season. Trust me when I say it took a cancer diagnosis for anyone associated with the Edwards campaign to feel a twinge of sympathy for her. Of course, it's not every day that a multi-millionaire angrily threatens to suspend the health insurance of all campaign workers until hers is secured. Even less predictable would be someone doing so on a national call attended by many of the lowest paid / hardest working organizers hitting the pavement. Multi-millionaires also do not often expose themselves while in an argument. Like I said, it wasn't even close.

(Just a few more Elizabeth stories because I can't resist: She called John a "hick" in front of other people and derided his parents as rednecks; and She laughed at the idea that John would read a book and claimed to be the smart one.)

-- Bill Clinton is a hothead, but he appreciates evil genius even when he's the victim. When the Obama campaign called him on his reference to Jesse Jackson winning South Carolina, clearly implying something, Clinton was now portrayed as a racist, at least by implication. The book says that "though it infuriated (Clinton), he could not help but respect the artfulness of the play... I wish our people were more like that, Bill said." He's an angry, bitter man, but he appreciates a good move. Of course Bill also said the Ted Kennedy: "the only reason you're endorsing him is because he's black. Let's just be clear." So, it's not like Bill didn't give the Obama camp any openings.

-- With whom did Clinton counsel about being essentially called a racist? George W. Bush. Clinton bitched to W about the betrayals he suffered for 15 minutes and W said "I know you aren't a racist." This was like seeing King Kong Bundy and Hulk Hogan laughing over a few beers at a local pub in the mid 80s or something. This is why wrestling is more like politics than we'd like to admit. They play up the hatred in public, but they're all just colleagues behind the scenes. W and Bill apparently talked "more often than almost anyone knew" during W's reign. THE CURTAIN HAS BEEN LIFTED! I mean... what can I possibly add? Talk about breaking the fourth wall. We are all being had.

-- Obama is absolutely as cool as the other side of the pillow, just as commonly perceived. His best quote was before his 2004 keynote address at the DNC nominating Kerry. "I'm LeBron, baby. I can play on this level. I got some game." Another was before his first debate with McCain when he calmed one nervous aid by putting his hand on her shoulder and saying calmly one-hour before go-time "Don't worry. I got this." Obama seemed to never let anger rattle him, but he was portrayed as whiny regarding the rigorous schedule and could be passive-aggressive. Still, he is the only one who seemed genuinely loved by his staff.

-- Hillary avoids conflict like the plague when dealing with individuals and yet is prone to fits of anger at her staff as a whole. She also does nothing to diffuse internal problems and tends to let them simmer. Her and Bill held a deep belief that the press was in the tank for Obama (which is probably true) and a never-ending suspicion of foul play. Even after it was all over they were both convinced Obama bused people into Iowa from Illinois.

-- The second-place finisher for crazy person of the campaign is actually Judi Giuliani, and she was only second because she was mentioned so infrequently. But, stories of her instability were potent, if brief. She had worked for a medical supply firm that exterminated puppies as part of its sales demonstration. That's right, she somehow was linked to puppy murder. You can't make this stuff up. Her only response was that it was a long time ago and she couldn't remember her involvement. I would think one would know if one was or was not involved in the murder of puppies. Had Rudy been a bigger threat to win, her stories would have been the highlight of the book.

(Giuliani had to answer her cell phone calls EVEN IF IN THE MIDDLE OF A SPEECH - and he did - because, in his words "it's a lot better that way." I am not kidding, she finishes second.)

-- Sarah Palin's lack of preparation, absence of mental curiosity and basic inability to grasp ground-level concepts actually and literally frightened McCain's staff. Preparing her for the debate took on the kind of prep work normally reserved for moon landings and her "success" at parroting the talking points they made her memorize (and calling Biden "Joe" because she could NOT stop calling him Obiden in rehearsal) was celebrated as a major accomplishment. The fact she may be third on the crazy chart is a testament to Elizabeth and Judi and should not be seen as a vindication of Sarahcuda. McCain advisers actually surreptitiously had her monitored by a doctor to see if she was "mentally unstable."

(It should be noted that Bill Clinton is easily the third-craziest spouse and gives Palin a run for her money. His clear edge in brain power puts him fourth behind Palin, but it's closer than one would think).

-- Huckabee actually questioned whether Romney had a soul. Coming from a former pastor, that made me chuckle.

-- Lindsay Graham, John McCain and Joe Lieberman could not stop watching the Youtube video of John Edwards fixing his hair. They watched it over and over and laughed until they had tears in their eyes. "Let's look at it again!" McCain would command. Again, this made me chuckle.

-- Obama's amazing ability to put the bitterness of the primary campaign was awe-inspiring. He was literally the only one of his entire staff (including Michelle) who was willing to give Hillary a position in the administration. His reasoning? "She's going to be really good at this job." He would not take "No" for an answer and made a compelling case to Hillary. He told her that the economy was going to command his focus and he would require someone to hold down the foreign policy part of things. He said she was the only one he could really trust to do this. After reading all the amazing battles their campaigns fought, this is nothing short of amazing and made me think of Team of Rivals and how Lincoln kept back-stabbing rival Soloman Chase around because he was such a good Treasury Secretary. All he cared is that she would be the best person for the job. Same with Biden for VP.

So, there you have it. Campaigning is a business, it is entertaining, it involves steel chairs upon the heads of unsuspecting victims and they all end up having beers together in the end. It's like I read the Hitman book all over again. And, just like a wrestling book, it feels like a guilty pleasure or like I got caught watching a soap opera. I loved this book, and that makes me feel dirty.

By The Book- 2/13/10

And now we present....... This Week in Literary Bromance

"I Liked Larry O'Keefe from the beginning- but I did not dream as the Tonga boys pulled us back to the Suwarna how that liking was to be forged into man's strong love for man by fires which souls such as his and mine- and yours who read this- could never dream.

Larry! Larry O'Keefe, where are you now with your leprechawns and banshee, your heart of a child, you laughing blue eyes, and your fearless soul?  Shall I ever see you again, Larry O'Keefe, dear to me as some best beloved younger brother?  Larry!"

from The Moon Pool by Abraham Merritt

Hitman

Approximately once a year, I have a weird craving to relive the old days when I watched pro wrestling as a kid. We even once organized "viewings" of Wrestlemanias I through III at rotating locations within the last few years. (I will spare naming all involved in this delicious travesty of taste.)

This makes me neither proud nor ashamed. It really just amuses me.

I don't watch wrestling today. I don't enjoy what it has become. Hell, I laugh at 80s wrestling today and enjoy it now for very different (mostly mocking and nostalgic) reasons. But, for the second year in a row, I read a book about old-school wrestling from the days of my youth. This year, I read "Hitman," by Bret "The Hitman" Hart.

Ironically, I used to hate Bret Hart and his evil Hart Foundation. I loved the British Bulldogs, who were arch rivals with the Hart Foundation.

"Hitman" is a great book. It takes you into the "cartoon" world of pro wrestling. I learned a lot about the history of wrestling, and, most interesting, how it works behind the scenes. Hart takes the position that the wrestling business grinds its workers up and spits them out. I think there is some truth to that, but that there is also a tendency for unstable people to explore such a career. There is definitely truth in both perspectives.

The stories are funny, depressing, strange and just odd at times. I recommend reading this book near a computer so you can youtube the various matches he describes in detail. For example, I watched Hart take the kick to the head that ended his career. I also watched the online footage of the "Montreal Screwjob," complete with Vince McMahon wobbling out of the locker room after being knocked silly by Hart.

Although the "Montreal Screwjob" has been a source of great sympathy for Hart, I actually began to think of how Hart may have put himself over a little too well in the book. My take: A promoter has to deal with moody, roided up alpha-males on a regular basis. He has a business to run and didn't get rich by letting wrestlers who decided to go to his rival (WCW) while champion keep the belt and march out triumphant. Promoter lies (not OK, but also... well, Hart makes it clear wrestlers are a bit moody and difficult) and screws over his champion. In the process he damages the goods being received by the rival and collects enough checks to more than pay for the broken jaw.

Pardon my sarcasm, but being "screwed" out of a title defense while 1) leaving the company and 2) ITS STAGED didn't garner as much sympathy from me as I know others feel about this incident. Sorry, but he was 5 time champ because that got ratings. He was a good "wrestler" in that he preformed well, but popularity is what mattered. Stuff happens.

Most interesting to me were the stories of what some of my favorites were like behind the scenes. Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Macho Man, Dynamite Kid, etc. I also loved the stories of the road and all the ribbing. Just kinda guy stories. It was a fun book, but I can't get all broken up about losing a belt that changes hands based on projected ratings draws. Shoot me.

As for steroids, Hart basically makes the strong case that a career would be over without them for someone of his stature (he wasn't exactly a giant). I took this to mean he simply used the "recommended" dosage. It was that or a different career... he rolled the dice and got rich. He only mentions it once when he decided to do it and never again brings it up, although its implied he was on them his whole career (never explicitly says so, though). He later confuses his own use by suggesting he was a desired champ because he wasn't a roided up freak like so many others at a time when people were angry about steroids. I guess its appropriate my next book is about self-justification.

Overall, a fun read. Much longer than expected, and he has some points to make. Much like actual wrestling shows, it's like reading 500 pages of one long description of a train wreck. You see all the twisted metal and all the carnage vividly after reading this book.

By The Book- 2/10/10

"For lunch break Sherman's party stopped at the home of a Reverend Heidt, who proved to be one of those duplicitous civilians that Major Hitchcock had come to loathe.  When Union infantry foraging his property came to the General with handfuls of rifle cartridges found hidden in his hen coop, the good cleric loudly proclaimed them planted by the Yankee soldiers.  Sherman's aide-de-camp, Major Lewis F. Drayton, examined the evidence with a grim smile.  "We don't draw ours from the Mason Arsenal," he said, displaying the manufacturing stamp on the cartridges.  Heidt stammered a new excuse, but Sherman was utterly uninterested in dispensing any justice this day.  The good reverend's house would be spared, much to Major Hitchcock's amazement."

-from "Southern Storm" by Noah Andre Trudeau

A few memorable quotes from Churchill

I have enjoyed reading Winston Churchill. Not only because he is one of the greatest leaders of all time, but because he is simply a fun author to read. He keeps a sense of humor, makes grand proclamations and tells the tale through anecdotes. What more would you expect from a man who took great pride in urinating on the Siegfried line along with some of his generals? These are a few memorable quotes from Winston Churchill:

-- FINAL THOUGHTS: "The broadening of thought is a process which acquires momentum by seeking opportunity for all who claim it. And it may well be if wisdom and patience are practiced that Opportunity-for-all will conquer the minds and restrain the passions of mankind."

-- ON FRUSTRATIONS AT THE END -- "As war waged by a coalition draws to its end political aspects have a mounting importance. It is true that American thought is at least disinterested in matters which seem to relate to territorial acquisitions, but when wolves are about the shepherd must guard his flock, even if he does not himself care for mutton."

-- ON AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY -- "But we never succeeded in deflecting the Americans from their purpose. Their national psychology is such that the bigger the Idea the more wholeheartedly and obstinately do they throw themselves into making it a success. It is an admirable characteristic, provided the Idea is good."

-- ON A FORMAL DECLARATION OF WAR -- "Some people did not like this ceremonial style (of declaring war on Japan). But after all when you have to kill a man it costs nothing to be polite."

-- ON THE PEARL HARBOR ATTACK -- "Silly people, and there were many, not only in enemy countries, might discount the force of the United States. Some said they were soft, others that they would never be united. They would fool around at a distance. They would never come to grips. They would never stand blood-letting. Their democracy and system of recurrent elections would paralyse their war effort. They would be just a vague blur on the horizon to friend or foe. Now we should see the weakness of this numerous but remote, wealthy, and talkative people. But I had studied the American Civil War, fought out to the last desperate inch. American blood flowed in my veins. I thought of a remark which Edward Gray had made to me more than thirty years before - that the United States is like "a gigantic boiler. Once the fire is lighted under it there is no limit to the power it can generate." Being saturated and satiated with emotion and sensation, I went to bed and slept the sleep of the saved and thankful."

-- TO THE CANADIAN PARLIAMENT WHILE VISITING ROOSEVELT -- "When I warned (French leaders) that Britain would fight on alone whatever they did, their generals told their Prime Minister and his divided Cabinet, "In three weeks England will have her neck wrung like a chicken." Some chicken! Some neck!"

What's all this then?

First things first.....I like reading.  Blame it on being the son of a teacher, blame it on Dad going over football magazines with me at a young age, whatever.  I've always liked reading.  When I met Joe in high school, he was a kindred spirit in many ways. (Hand to god, within 5 minutes of meeting each other in Spanish class, we were talking...okay, arguing, about sports.  I'm not sure we've stopped since.)  But book-reading, well, that wasn't discussed.  Part of the problem was there was so much else to talk about, between analyzing the sports section of the newspaper, and all the drama of being in high school (which, sadly, we weren't involved in nearly as much as we should have been.  But we did still talk about it.), books just didn't come up.  Not unusual for 15-year olds.  Unfortunately, once I left high school, I stopped reading as much.  I'd read the occasional Clive Cussler action novel, or any random sports biography that caught my eye, but I kind of lost myself in other things, and stopped reading as much.  Joe read more, to be expected  considering his 32* years of college education. But it still wasn't something we discussed, or really knew how the other one felt. 

Then 9/11 happened. And I realized that, if I didn't want the terrorists to win, I'd have to make books a part of my life again.  The End.

Just Kidding.  Sort of.