The Triple R has returned for June! Summer has officially started, which means more time off for some of us. I’m planning on reading a lot of good books this season, and I’ve listed some of them here. Here’s a quick rundown of the RRR for those of you just tuning in.
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 at least 4/5 by me, with one Six Star book at the end. With that, let’s get started with the June edition of the Robinson Reading Report!
The Book of Useless Information | Useless Information Society
Learning new information is part of human curiosity; its what has allowed us to progress so much. I almost always like learning about new things on a variety of topics, but I’ve never seen anything quite like this book. The Book of Useless Information contains a plethora of, well, useless information. Everything from fish scales being used in lipstick, the name of the first CD pressed in the U.S., to the last year that can be written upside down and right-side up and still be written the same (It’s the year 1961, and the next year will be 6009, if you’re wondering). Author Noel Botham writes it in a clear-cut way, giving us nothing more than useless information. While the contents do technically contain information I will probably never use in my life, it’s still very fun to read the weird, funny, and sometimes a little creepy information in this world.
The Dangerous Book for Boys | Hal & Conn Iggulden
It would be nice if we could have a manual on how to live our lives, or at least a guide to use when we were children. Unfortunately, there is no comprehensive, all-in-one guide on life, or how to live our lives when we were younger, but I believe the Dangerous Book for Boys comes very close. It covers countless topics on practical subjects, such as fishing, sports, first aid, astronomy, history, and so much more. I enjoyed reading this book, and it helped scrape the surface of many subjects that I am interested in. Hal and Conn sure seem like they know what they’re doing, and by the text in this book, their childhood seemed fairly vivid. The Dangerous Book for Boys is an enjoyable book for boys and girls, and I recommend it.
How Do They Do That? | Caroline Sutton
Like I mentioned in the review about the Book of Useless Information, there’s many things about us that we don’t completely understand, but I believe we should at least try to get the basic concept of many things in this world. How Do They Do That? is a great way to start. Written almost like an encyclopedia, the author packs a lot of knowledge in a modestly-sized entry for each topic, such as sorting the mail, measuring the speed of a hurricane, and much more. It uncovers the methods and devices that experts use to do these such things, and as such, How Do They Do That?, as the book’s tagline says, truly does explain the wonders of the modern world.
The United States of America | Robert Gildart & James Murfun
For our American readers, there’s no doubt that the United States is a very diverse country, with beautiful geography and features. I think it’s only proper that we learn what this country really is, and The United States of America by Gildart and Murfin is a great way to do that. The book covers all 50 states, from Alabama to Wyoming, and it does so very well, going into detail about the geography, culture, and attractions in each state. A map of each state and some interesting history is also included. There are also some very beautiful pictures of all the states, so we can appreciate them more. If we want to learn more about this country, we first have to look into what it’s made of, and this great book by Murfin and Gildart is a well-written way to do so.
Big Secrets | William Poundstone
We all have secrets; some big, some small. Everyone has things that they don’t want other people to know, including companies, the government, and famous organizations. This book by William Poundstone uncovers those mysteries in one enjoyable book. Poundstone uncovers the possible combination of the famed 11 Herbs and Spices of KFC, and what Merchandise 7X, the supposed main secret ingredient for Coca Cola, is. And in between, he covers, or rather, uncovers, all sorts of other mysteries, such as those of secret organizations, as well as food horror stories that the food industry supposedly doesn’t want us to know. Interested in the economy? Big Secrets closely examines U.S. currency for subliminal messages and strange engravings. All in all, Big Secrets is one great book for the investigator in all of us.
Bigger Secrets | William Poundstone
Yes, yes, I know I’ve included Big Secrets and Bigger Secrets. But it’s for good reason, because I believe the sequel, Bigger Secrets, is a little better than the first. The book has the same easy-reading quality as the first, and it includes all of the interesting topics, such as hidden messages in music, weird food oddities, initiation and customs of exclusive clubs and groups, and so much more. Poundstone’s style in this book is a little different than in Big Secrets; he uses the first person more, and I assume that now people know who he is, he can afford to be a little more friendly and relaxed. Regardless, Bigger Secrets is a fantastic book, and I recommend it.
*Six-Star Book*
I’ll Mature When I’m Dead | Jon Stewart
Dave Barry never disappoints, and I always hold all of his books in high regard. With I’ll Mature When I’m Dead, it’s no different. Barry chronicles his early life and his progression through adulthood, covering experiences such as fatherhood, men and women, and dog ownership, as well as his vibrant account of his first colonoscopy and how to solve American healthcare. Barry’s writing is unmatched, and I laughed on almost every single page. With a healthy dose of jokes and gags sprinkled throughout the book, I’ll Mature When I’m Dead is a seriously funny book.
The Congressional Report 