Spent the post-Xmas week in the Dominican Republic with family (some pics here, here and here). Polished off five books:

1) Everything Bad is Good for You – Re-read. Some of the arguments still feel too narrowly crafted – like he started with the premise and found data to support. But i generally agree with the premise – that popular culture can’t be discarded as a teacher of skills.
2) Give Our Regards to the Atom Smashers – Collection of essays with various book and magazine writers giving their tributes to the influence of comic books on their work.
3) Hiding the Elephant – The golden age of magic in 19th/early 20th century America and England
4) Biggest Game in the World – The beginnings of the World Series of Poker
5) Positively Fifth Street – And more poker 20 years later as a Harper’s writer covering Vegas’ poker scene, uses his advance to enter the game’s largest event.

Pop culture, magic, poker and comics. Yup, that’s me.