The Triple R is back, this time with the December edition! As 2020 comes to an end, I’ve finished off this month with some good books, and as the new year rolls around, I hope we can continue this for the months beyond.
Also, I’ve added something new! Every new edition, including this one, will have a “Six-Star” book, located at the end (because you gotta save the best for last). This Six-Star book will be the one that stood out to me the most, and the one I heavily enjoyed reading. It’s just something that I thought would be nice to add. Anyway, if you don’t know how this works, I’ll explain it below.
Similar to Gabe’s Reading List, the Triple R will list my favorite books I read during that month. The RRR will come out on the last day of the month, and Gabe’s will come out on the first day of the next month. That way, we have both reading lists on separate days.
The Robinson Reading Report is, for all intents and purposes, my version of Gabe’s Reading List. It will list my top picks that I read, along with the book cover and the Amazon link. And that’s about it. Just a quick head’s up, I don’t read a lot of novels or fiction, but mainly educational-related, facts/trivia, or nonfiction. Also, all books listed below were rated 5/5 stars by me. With that, let’s get started with the December edition of the Robinson Reading Report!
If the Allies had Fallen | Dennis E. Showalter
If you’re an alternate history fanatic, this is definitely the book for you. Showalter incorporates alternate history theories from multiple historians, and covers major events in World War II. Ranging in topics from if appeasement had worked before the war to the atomic bombings at the very end, this book never disappoints. It’s always nice to imagine what things could have been, or how things could have turned out, and if you’re imagining about World War II, this book is the way to go.
The Mammoth Book of Zingers, Quips, and One-Liners | Geoff Tibballs
Do you like collecting quotes? Are you always looking for little tidbits to add to a conversation? Well this book has them all. Geoff Tibballs compiles over 8,000 quotes by people of all backgrounds, professions, and jobs, and ranging in a number of topics too high to count. This is quite a thick book, but it’s jam-packed with, well, zingers, quips, and one-liners on almost every topic conceivable. We all like to spice up a conversation, and this is the key ingredient.
Grenade | Alan Gratz
Gratz never disappoints, and this book is testament to the fact. The story follows Hideki, a young Japanese boy on the island of Okinawa, which is being invaded by the Americans. At the same time, Ray, a Marine, is assigned to the ground invasion force of the island. Both have their struggles, and both have their goals, ultimately, to get back home. But when they both fact crisis, and flee their assignment, they run into each other, and their lives are changed forever. Alan Gratz constructs a nail-biting novel, which is sure to keep you hooked to the very end.
Unsolved Mysteries | Joel Levy
Unsolved Mysteries compiles the mysterious events, people, and places everyone’s heard about. Levy includes bizarre events from D.B. Cooper to the Nazca Lines, and explains not only what they are, but also some far-out theories about what they might be. A book for the investigator within us all, Unsolved Mysteries is sure to give you a better outlook on the things that puzzle us most.
The Complete Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook | Joshua Piven & David Borgenicht
We’ve all dreamed about and wondered what would happen in a certain scenario, or how we would fare in a disaster. If you read this book, you’ll definitely be more prepared. Piven and Borgenicht compile the best and most read excerpts and chapters from their Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook collection they’ve written. Everything from escaping a riot to pretending you like a bad gift, The Complete Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook has it all.
The Handy Geography Answer Book | Matthew T. Rosenberg
The world is full of facts, and I mean a lot of facts. If you want to learn more about those facts, then this book holds your answer. Rosenberg includes geographic and cultural facts and tidbits from every continent. The answers to your every geographic question lie here. At the end, it also includes demographics of every country! The Handy Geography Answer Book truly is the answer book that we can all use to find out more about the world we live in.
The Complete Illustrated Handbook of Survival
We should all be prepared for a disaster should it strike, and with the knowledge in this book, you can be ready for anything that comes your way. The Complete Illustrated Handbook of Survival contains numerous pictures to accompany the detailed chapters, ranging in topics from camping to surviving an explosion. Easy (and fun) to read, this book is the go-to guide to surviving in almost any condition.
And Then You’re Dead | Cody Cassidy & Paul Doherty
Ever wanted to know what really happens if you fall into a Pringles chip factory machine, or if you couldn’t fall asleep for the rest of your life? Me neither, but Cassidy and Doherty make it fun to learn the gruesome ways to die. Many scenarios are presented here, some which have actually happened to people, while others are semi-fictional. But through science and math, And Then You’re Dead shows you what would really happen to your body in unusual scenarios.
*Six-Star Book*
Our Dumb World | The Onion
Why did I choose this book as the Six-Star Book? Well, simply because it’s hilariously funny! Constructed as an atlas on every country, the writers at The Onion write satire descriptions of nations, complete with a “history” of the country and a map with “helpful” details, this book truly is a side-splitter. Granted, there is some dark humor, but it’s offset by the sheer amount of humor in this book. If you want a good laugh, check out Our Dumb World, you won’t regret it!
The Congressional Report 