Apr
10
2010
This Week’s Bestsellers
Yesterday was the first time I’ve considered giving up. I turned to the updated New York Times list of bestsellers, looked at the stack of books still awaiting my attention, looked at my week ahead, and wondered if it was worth going on. As you well know, this truly is a serious amount of reading, and if I don’t persevere, it is likely to get away from me completely. I’ve got three big books still unread, I’ve got two read and awaiting review and this week four more were added to the list. Thankfully none of the books is too long–each comes in at around 300 pages.
Debuting at #5 is Mount Pleasant by Steve Poizner. Poizner is a wealthy and successful Silicon Valley entrepreneur who decided to try his hand at teaching in a public high school (in a poor area of town, naturally). This book tells his story.
At #11 is 13 Bankers by Simon Johnson and James Kwak. It is a call to reform the banking industry. I’m hoping it’s a bit more interesting than it sounds!
Down at the #14 spot is the Obama Zombies, undoubtedly the most interestingly-titled book I’ve come across this year. Jason Mattera tells how Obama and his allies staged a high-tech assault to capture the minds of young Americans. I’m looking forward to reading this one. Unrelated to this project, it may also prove useful for my studies on technology.
And squeaking onto the list at #15 is The Best Kind of Different by Shonda Schilling, wife of pitcher Curt Shilling. She writes about her family’s experience with a child who suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome. Interestingly, this is the third or fourth book to hit the list in recent years that deals with Asperger’s.
I considered giving up, but I will persevere. I’m stubborn and probably a bit proud. Nine days out of 10 I am enjoying this project and enjoying all the reading. I think it very unlikely that if I persevere to the end I will regret it at all. But if I do give up early, there may well be regrets. So I will press on. But do rest assured that if ever it truly gets to be too much (as judged by myself, my wife, the men who keep watch over my soul) I’ll let it go in a heartbeat.