Koncocoo

Best Radio

The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings
Tolkien's three-volume epic, is set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth - home to many strange beings, and most notably hobbits, a peace-loving "little people," cheerful and shy. Donald Barr has described it as "a scrubbed morning world, and a ringing nightmare world...especially sunlit, and shadowed by perils very fundamental, of a peculiarly uncompounded darkness." Sixty unremarkable years have passed since his triumphant return from the orcmines, where he outwitted the horrible Gollum and carried off his magical ring----a feat that cannot go forever unavenged.
Reviews
"I'll keep it brief, this is not a review of the actual story but of this specific edition."
"I did a ton of research and decided upon this version (ISBN 116-1749849-2513827), illustrated by Alan Lee and published by Harper Collins in June 2014 (I am adding these details because the Amazon.com site does not make it clear what this version is). The only drawback is that the facsimile pages of the Book of Mazarbul was not included, which I found to be surprising and a bit disappointing Also, the ring inscription and the Gandalf "rune" are printed in black rather than silver and red. Probably the main issue is the clear plastic slipcover, which is barely bigger than the book itself, and it is difficult to slip the book back inside it after taking it out."
"The font size seems to be based on the length of the books, the longer the books are, the smaller the font is (I suppose this was in order to keep them pocket-sized as well as consistent with the sizes of the other books throughout the set)."
"Most readers shouldn’t have an issue when you consider how comfortable the book is to hold in one hand. It’s a matte vinyl material that has a leather feel with recessed and stained cover lettering. After reading The Hobbit, with no special care, there were no creases in the outer binding."
"The copy I received, however, has a fairly significant manufacturing defect in that the pages of 'The Hobbit' were not cut properly."
"A terribly thick pocket book with dense letters offsets all the convenience this form of book should bring to us."
Find Best Price at Amazon
Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It
Beginning with his journey from the small town of Moncks Corner, South Carolina to his headline grabbing interviews with celebrities like Justin Bieber, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, and Hillary Clinton, he shares how he turned his troubled early life around by owning his (many) mistakes and refusing to give up on his dreams, even after his controversial opinions got him fired from several on-air jobs. “After meeting this young man I was impressed by his real desire to be relevant and his genuine yearning to leave meaningful footprints in the sand, this book is just that: a young man passing on relevant knowledge and experiences to help others better their position in life. “South Carolina has produced some really beautiful, talented, smart, upstanding citizens…..and Charlamagne!” --Stephen Colbert.
Reviews
"Self-help, or otherwise, this book had so much valuable information about getting through life told from a man who at best I knew from seeing him on VH-1 and listening to the Breakfast Club. As I listened to this book, I felt like I was sitting in a room and he was telling me what was wrong with me, how I got there, but most importantly that I had the power to get myself out and into a better situation. The kind of cry you have when you thought you had run out of tears and where you feel it in the pit of your stomach. I had been praying for guidance and God in his wisdom lead me to purchase your book and it is one that will be prominently on my bookshelf, in my headphones and on my iPhone."
"This book should be mandatory reading for pretty much everyone, but ESPECIALLY teenagers today."
"As an African American I say this a must read for urban youth but also for anyone of that matter seeking a practical approaches to day to day life supported by the raw experiences of the author who overcame many adversities to be able to share his testimony and have built a platform that has been so influential in bringing information from various aspects to the forefront."
"This was a great read."
"started off a little slow, but I really enjoyed the read, enjoyed some of the lessons, and just hope it reaches those who need to read it about a Black guy, kind of lost, parents who loved him, father who regardless of his relationships with the overall family, he was one hell of a father."
"Very informative and enlightening read."
"this book told me what I already knew, yet helped me realized damn....im hella lazy and mostly procrastinating."
Find Best Price at Amazon
The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual
Use with ARRL s online Exam Review for Ham Radio. Welcome to Amateur Radio. Radio and Signals Fundamentals. Electricity, Components, and Circuits. Propagation, Antennas, and Feed Lines. Amateur Radio Equipment. Communicating With Other Hams. Licensing Regulations. Operating Regulations. Safety. As you complete each chapter of this book, use ARRL's online Exam Review for Ham Radio to help prepare you for exam day. Once you've finished this book, use the online service to take practice exams with the same number and variety of questions that you'll encounter on exam day.
Reviews
"Some of the other books that I see concentrate more on passing the test by learning the test questions than actually teaching the material."
"Even though you could simply memorize the questions from the FCC test bank, you'll be missing out on a great amount of information that's useful to the new ham operator."
"After the training material, there is an excellent glossary, the complete exam question pool (with correct answers indicated), as well as a supplementary chapter on choosing a ham radio. Excellent graphics -- lots of tables, charts, photographs, and line drawings. As much as I love my e-Ink Kindle, this is the sort of book that is better in paper and in a large format. Table of Contents for the course material -- Radio and Signals Fundamentals; Electricity, Components, and Circuits; Propagation, Antennas, and Feed Lines; Amateur Radio Equipment; Communicating With Other Hams; Licensing Regulations; Operating Regulations; and Safety."
"Or, you can go to hamtestlone.com, pay about the same amount of money and, after studying diligently, in a week pass the course. I HIGHLY recommend getting the book AND signing up for the course. I have NO affiliation with hamtestonline.com other than 10/15/2016 took and passed my Extra Class license exam."
"You will find yourself opening the book to your current topic while you surf the web on related questions, and rather than damage the binding trying to get it to lay open, the spiral binding lets you easily just lay the book flat ... and it keeps your place."
"If you want study material that will teach you everything you need to know to pass the Technician portion of the exam, this book is it."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Books on Cassette

Creating Character Voices for Fun and Profit: A Professional Guide
A humorous and practical approach from one of the most successful voice-over actors in Hollywood. Patrick Fraley, one of the most successful voice-over actors in the industry, has performed in thousands of TV and radio commercials, 27 feature motion pictures, including The Fisher King , and has lectured and taught at more than 100 schools.
Reviews
"This "professional guide" is really for everyone; speakers, lecturers and teachers who want to enliven their speech; actors who want to make additional income in radio advertising or who want to expand their on-stage presentation; parents who want to read stories to their kids with real impact."
"Great advice on the nature of the voice over business and how to create and do more than just survive in the biz."
"I consider myself a premier voice actor with great abilities but Patrick Fraley really taught me more than that, he taught me to dig into the acting side of the business and learn exactly what steps to take to prepare and train yourself to CATALOG your voices you create."
"...and he is truly the master journeyman of this trade."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best General Broadcasting

The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings
Tolkien's three-volume epic, is set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth - home to many strange beings, and most notably hobbits, a peace-loving "little people," cheerful and shy. Donald Barr has described it as "a scrubbed morning world, and a ringing nightmare world...especially sunlit, and shadowed by perils very fundamental, of a peculiarly uncompounded darkness." Sixty unremarkable years have passed since his triumphant return from the orcmines, where he outwitted the horrible Gollum and carried off his magical ring----a feat that cannot go forever unavenged.
Reviews
"I'll keep it brief, this is not a review of the actual story but of this specific edition."
"I did a ton of research and decided upon this version (ISBN 116-1749849-2513827), illustrated by Alan Lee and published by Harper Collins in June 2014 (I am adding these details because the Amazon.com site does not make it clear what this version is). The only drawback is that the facsimile pages of the Book of Mazarbul was not included, which I found to be surprising and a bit disappointing Also, the ring inscription and the Gandalf "rune" are printed in black rather than silver and red. Probably the main issue is the clear plastic slipcover, which is barely bigger than the book itself, and it is difficult to slip the book back inside it after taking it out."
"The font size seems to be based on the length of the books, the longer the books are, the smaller the font is (I suppose this was in order to keep them pocket-sized as well as consistent with the sizes of the other books throughout the set)."
"Most readers shouldn’t have an issue when you consider how comfortable the book is to hold in one hand. It’s a matte vinyl material that has a leather feel with recessed and stained cover lettering. After reading The Hobbit, with no special care, there were no creases in the outer binding."
"The copy I received, however, has a fairly significant manufacturing defect in that the pages of 'The Hobbit' were not cut properly."
"A terribly thick pocket book with dense letters offsets all the convenience this form of book should bring to us."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Radio History & Criticism

Radio Free Boston: The Rise and Fall of WBCN
Blaring the Cream anthem “I Feel Free,” WBCN went on the air in March 1968 as an experiment in free-form rock on the fledgling FM radio band. “Alan’s book traces WBCN’s unassuming birth from the ashes of a classical music station in 1968, through its heyday as the ‘Rock of Boston’ in the ‘70s and ‘80s, to its demise in 2009, when, Alan writes, the station was ‘drained of its blood in the consolidated radio industry of the new century.’ To recount the story, Alan interviewed most every personality involved and willing to speak on the record.”— Boston Globe.
Reviews
"Anyone who loved and listened to this late great radio station will appreciate what's been written here, fondly remembering the DJs and volunteers who staffed the enterprise over the years and the amazing MUSIC that held it all together. It was on 'BCN that I was first exposed to everyone from Robert Johnson and Richard & Mimi Farina to Jonathan Richman and Joy Of Cooking to Spirit, Love and Pentangle to Peter Ivers, White Noise, the Velvet Underground, Frank Zappa's Mothers Of Invention, Steve Reich, Sun Ra and the outer reaches of the avant-garde. I can still remember moments and highlights from the early days, like one late night when a DJ whose identity I can't recall was creating this crazy sound collage that flowed on for some forty minutes interspersing the Firesign (not "Fireside") Theatre's third album with snippets from Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin's "Je t'Aime (Moi Non Plus)" and Ravel's Bolero and an obscure spoken word composition by Takemitsu that I didn't hear again for over three decades. By the time I graduated from Milford High School (Charles Laquidara's alma mater, FYI) in the Bicentennial year of 1976 and left the area to go to school in San Diego, the "American Revolution" was finished as far as I was concerned and I'd already started exploring other stations at the low end of the FM dial, college stations out of Brandeis and Brown Universities which kept the torch of truly freeform radio burning brightly as WBCN inched closer and closer to the mainstream as the years drew on."
"This book blew me away for it's depth and rendering of the decades where BCN ruled the radio universe."
"If you're a person "of a certain age" who grew up listening to WBCN in the 1970's and 1980's, this is an amazing read that paints a fantastic picture of what was going on on the other side of the microphone (or turntable)."
"The reason I do not give it 5 stars is there is some conspicuous details missing and I am guessing it is due to Mr Alan carefully editing a few details to protect his friends."
"I can remember finding 104.1 as I lie in bed turning the thumb dial on the side of my TRANSISTOR radio, the single, nipple-shaped plug embedded in my ear, and wondering if I had tapped into one of those mythical Mexican border stations Wolfman Jack was rumored to have broadcast from."
"I worked in Boston Radio during much of the time covered, and am still in touch with a couple of people mentioned (Capt. It was good to have to complete story filled in on what was "the" Boston Radio station for many, many years."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Radio Reference

The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual
Use with ARRL s online Exam Review for Ham Radio. Welcome to Amateur Radio. Radio and Signals Fundamentals. Electricity, Components, and Circuits. Propagation, Antennas, and Feed Lines. Amateur Radio Equipment. Communicating With Other Hams. Licensing Regulations. Operating Regulations. Safety. As you complete each chapter of this book, use ARRL's online Exam Review for Ham Radio to help prepare you for exam day. Once you've finished this book, use the online service to take practice exams with the same number and variety of questions that you'll encounter on exam day.
Reviews
"Some of the other books that I see concentrate more on passing the test by learning the test questions than actually teaching the material."
"Even though you could simply memorize the questions from the FCC test bank, you'll be missing out on a great amount of information that's useful to the new ham operator."
"After the training material, there is an excellent glossary, the complete exam question pool (with correct answers indicated), as well as a supplementary chapter on choosing a ham radio. Excellent graphics -- lots of tables, charts, photographs, and line drawings. As much as I love my e-Ink Kindle, this is the sort of book that is better in paper and in a large format. Table of Contents for the course material -- Radio and Signals Fundamentals; Electricity, Components, and Circuits; Propagation, Antennas, and Feed Lines; Amateur Radio Equipment; Communicating With Other Hams; Licensing Regulations; Operating Regulations; and Safety."
"Or, you can go to hamtestlone.com, pay about the same amount of money and, after studying diligently, in a week pass the course. I HIGHLY recommend getting the book AND signing up for the course. I have NO affiliation with hamtestonline.com other than 10/15/2016 took and passed my Extra Class license exam."
"You will find yourself opening the book to your current topic while you surf the web on related questions, and rather than damage the binding trying to get it to lay open, the spiral binding lets you easily just lay the book flat ... and it keeps your place."
"If you want study material that will teach you everything you need to know to pass the Technician portion of the exam, this book is it."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Humor

What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
From the creator of the wildly popular webcomic xkcd, hilarious and informative answers to important questions you probably never thought to ask. In pursuit of answers, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations, and consults with nuclear reactor operators. Fortunately, such people can turn to Randall Munroe, the author of the XKCD comic strip loved by fans of internet culture. For Munroe, who writes with a clarity and wit honed over eight years of writing captions for his webcomic, the fact that a question might be impossible to solve is no deterrent to pursuing it.” —Wall Street Journal Speakeasy blog. while dealing with relationships and the meaning of a computer-centric life, xkcd has become required reading for techies across the world….The Internet has also created a bond between Mr. Munroe and his readers that is exceptional. "With his steady regimen of math jokes, physics jokes, and antisocial optimism, xkcd creator Randall Munroe, a former NASA roboticist, scores traffic numbers in NBC.com or Oprah.com territory. [A]t its best [xkcd] isn’t a strip comic so much as an idea factory and a shared experience."
Reviews
"I love the blog and was really looking forward to this book, but buying the kindle edition was a mistake."
"This is a great way to enjoy older questions and answers over again, updated, and to share them with new people, and the new questions and answers - never featured on the website - are delightful; I won't spoil it for you, but my favorite has to be the answer to "If a bullet with the density of a neutron star were fired from a handgun (ignoring the how) at the Earth's surface, would the Earth be destroyed?" If you have even a passing interest in science and ever enjoy daydreaming about the fantastic or the ridiculous, this book is for you. Gift season is coming up; thanks to this book my Christmas shopping will be a great deal easier."
"Randall Munroe hits that oddball humor sweet spot with zany questions and actual, scientific--and most importantly, interesting--answers."
"Randall Munroe's XKCD is a cornerstone of the World-Wide Web, and he brings the same intelligence and overabundance of careful research here to absolutely hilarious (and often randomly awesome or terrible) questions."
"Best bathroom book ever... and I mean that in the very best possible way you can imagine."
"All wrapped up in a well made book sufficient for display."
"Whether it's taking a dip in a nuclear reactor cooling pool, or halting the earth's spin just to see what would happen, Monroe accepts the intellectual challenge and delivers with gusto."
"They're hyperlinked, and you can use the links on the footnote to jump back But the page bounds move slightly every time, and notes near the top activate the Kindle options rather than the footnote."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Movies

The Magnolia Story
By renovating homes in Waco, Texas, and changing lives in such a winsome and engaging way, Chip and Joanna have become more than just the stars of Fixer Upper , they have become America’s new best friends. Even back then Chip was a serial entrepreneur who, among other things, ran a lawn care company, sold fireworks, and flipped houses. Four children and countless renovations later, Joanna garners the attention of a television producer who notices her work on a blog one day. The time Chip ran to the grocery store and forgot to take their new, sleeping baby Joanna’s agonizing decision to close her dream business to focus on raising their children When Chip buys a houseboat, sight-unseen, and it turns out to be a leaky wreck Joanna’s breakthrough moment of discovering the secret to creating a beautiful home Harrowing stories of the financial ups and downs as an entrepreneurial couple Memories and photos from Chip and Jo’s wedding The significance of the word magnolia and why it permeates everything they do The way the couple pays the popularity of Fixer Upper forward, sharing the success with others, and bolstering the city of Waco along the way. Chip Gaines and his wife, Joanna Gaines, are co-founders and co-owners of Magnolia Homes, Magnolia Market, and Magnolia Realty in Waco, Texas.
Reviews
"They have overcome adversity and have built a life full of love, family, talent, professionalism keeping their faith first and foremost."
"Great reading couldn't put it down made me smile,laugh and see some things in life we all go through similar."
"I have been a huge fan of Joanna and Chip right from the very first show."
"This is a must read for all Fixer Upper fans."
"Reading the history that led to "Fixer Upper" is fascinating, and it just makes me love the Gaineses and the show all the more. So The Magnolia Story is not a literary marvel, but it does appear to be true to who the authors are in real life (or at least on TV)."
"I can't even imagine my husband making those kinds of decisions without my input, but their relationship comes off as very balanced despite these peculiarities."
"I would recommend this book to: fans of Fixer Upper, but also to young parents, young adults, people who are trying to figure out their place in the world."
"Cute book, easy read!"
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Television

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2018: Every Recipe From The Hit TV Show With Product Ratings and a Look Behind the Scenes
Finally, learn what happens in the test kitchen before the cameras start rolling, what's really involved in our recipe development process, and what lengths we'll go to in order to produce a "best" recipe. And assembled just for this collection, The America's Test Kitchen Guide to Recommended Ingredients and Equipment unites all our important tastings and testings into an easy-to-navigate buyer's guide so you can be a savvy consumer whether you're investing in a new gas grill or picking up a can of tomatoes. Cheesy Nachos with Guacamole and Salsa. Chocolate Cookies --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Reviews
"bought one for my brother and he loves it and I ended up buying one for my husband for Christmas and we both enjoy it, especially the "Why this works" at the beginning of some of the recipes."
"I purchased this cookbook for my daughter and she loves it."
"Besides that, I can understand why some are frustrated if they can't find a specific recipe that they purchased this book to get."
"In this day of all things on the internet it is still very comforting to have a tactile resource in my hand."
"I got this for my birthday....don't usually buy cookbooks, since there's such a plethora of recipes on the internet nowadays, but I had checked this one out of the library and was surprised to see that there were many recipes in each chapter that looked delicious and that I WOULD want to cook."
"I gave this as a cookbook and my daughter loves it, considering getting one for y daughter in law."
"Any recipe in this book that I have tried has always come out amazingly."
"Could not be more thrilled with this recipe book."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Pop Culture

Go the F**k to Sleep
" Go the F*** to Sleep challenges stereotypes, opens up prototypes, and acknowledges that shared sense of failure that comes to all parents who weary of ever getting their darling(s) to sleep and briefly resuming the illusion of a life of their own." Seriously, Just Go to Sleep, a children's book inspired by Go the F*** to Sleep and appropriate for kids of all ages, is also available, as well as Seriously, You Have to Eat for finicky ones everywhere! Adam Mansbach's novels include The End of the Jews, winner of the California Book Award, and the best-selling Angry Black White Boy, a San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of 2005.
Reviews
"I was shocked to find that some reviewers, apparently completely forgot to read the title of the book before purchasing. For those parents who do have a sense of humor and who may not find profanity particularly offensive and who live in the real world. It's real, overworked, frustrated beyond belief, about to loose your mind at 3am, inner parent monologue. Samuel L. Jackson should narrate a book for every single stage of life, from being born to the grave. This book is one that will be shared from one exhausted, fed up, delusional, red eyed, sleep deprived parent to another."
"One for his first child and one for his second child."
"The helpless feeling of not being able to get your little one to sleep is captured perfectly in this hilarious adults bedtime story!"
"I purchased this book as a 21st birthday gift for my best friend."
"A great shower or first baby gift for those parents with a sense of humor."
"If you have a child that fights sleep, this book may be for you."
"Then they said their baby wouldn't need it - that they knew how to make babies sleep really well."
"I love the humor in this book."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Puzzles & Games

Player's Handbook (Dungeons & Dragons)
Everything a player needs to create heroic characters for the world’s greatest roleplaying game The Player’s Handbook® is the essential reference for every Dungeons & Dragons® roleplayer.
Reviews
"I am an oldster, have played every edition of D&D there has been, most of them being released when I was of legal drinking age, and IMO this is the best edition ever. Another way to think of it is that this edition is the most true to the game principles set forth in the earlier editions, especially AD&D 1st and 2nd editions, while at the same time carrying the more modern and popular principles from 3.5 and even the much maligned 4.0. When playing even 2nd edition, but very much so for 3.0, 3.5, and even 4.0, I found myself interacting with my character in the game more as a playing piece than a character in a story. It was almost as if my character, and my decisions about playing the character, began to be dominated more by my interface with the rules in the book, rather than with my ideas about my character and my interaction with the game world. As I reflected while playing these later editions, I found that I was not really playing a character, but instead was playing a set of rules. I worry now more about the choices and decisions I make while interacting with the game world, and those choices making the character fun to play, rather than fretting over whether or not I have chosen the right Feats or if my modifier for a particular skill is as high as I want it to be. As I start down the path of the twilight of my gaming career given my age, I want a set of rules that provides enough structure that a DM can make consistent rulings on the fly that fit in with the general mechanics used in the game, and that foster my appreciation as a player of the development of my character in a game world where playing the game is smooth and produces memories of an interesting character who is the protagonist in an interesting story line."
"UPDATE 9/30/15: I thought that I would share my experience with obtaining a replacement book from the manufacturer after my initial review. The info to do so may be found here: [...]. After explaining my situation to the customer service rep, they promptly scheduled a pick up via FedEx of my defective book and when it was received, I was sent email notification that a replacement was in route."
"So, the fifth edition of the venerable Dungeons and Dragons game is officially out, with the Player's Handbook ready to be picked up, combed through and played by the world. To give a little background (and you can feel free to skip this paragraph if you want to get to the meat of the review), I started with 3rd edition, which came out all the way back in 2000, when I was in middle school. In the end, I, like a lot of folks, gained interest in the older editions of the games, the ones that predated my own D&D experiences, the ones that sounded to me like ancient, esoteric and arcane books of mystery, whose rambling prose and absurdly convoluted mechanics became somehow enticing. I tried to get into more of the indie side of the RPG genre, taking a particular interest in Burning Wheel, which I still adore as a system, though it seems too unwieldy and I was and remain hesitant to actually try and play it. For some reason, after years of total uninterest in Dungeons and Dragons, where any mention of the game would make me turn up my nose at such inelegant, fiddly silliness, I found myself, all at once, filled with overwhelming excitement about the coming edition. The promise of a game, both old and new, divorced from the flaws of the past, made with some fresh ideas and streamlining, aiming to take the best of each old edition and instill them into a unified whole that is at once simple, quick and varied? The high level of quality starts with the art design and cover, which are probably my favorite for any edition of Dungeons and Dragons. When we open the book we can see that Dungeons and Dragons is a game of vaguely feudal societies, but whose inspirations span the entirety of the globe, removing us from the strict adherence to Europeanism that dominated past editions. My recurring argument for what D&D should be revolves around the game ideally being limitless, and the active inclusion of non-western cultures and peoples without lumping them into types such as "oriental" or "vaguely mesoAmerican but we are not going to call them that" really goes along with that. The order is logical and a good start for beginners, though the classes reference rules that are not detailed until much later chapters, which could be very confusing to newcomers. Classes too each have at least two subclasses, with the class list including the Barbarian, whose mechanics of course focus around her berserker rage; the bard, who can cast spells but also gets a pool of "bardic inspiration dice" that he can spend to benefit their allies and roll to add extra bonuses to attacks, checks and saves; the Cleric, who is fairly standard, but has a lot of variety granted by what "domain" corresponds to her respective god, potentially giving abilities ranging from being excellent in combat, excellent at sneaking around(! ), excellent at healing (the classic) and so forth; the druid, who can focus either in her ability to cast spells or the classic druid art of lycanthropy; the fighter, who can be a standard, simple to play warrior who is good at having hit points and hitting things, in addition to both a very 4th edition-like, Warlord-esque commander type guy, who uses a pool of special dice to trigger abilities and command his allies, and an eldritch knight, who casts spells while he slashes and smashes and stabs; the monk, who isn't really my thing but other people might like him a lot--he can either punch or cast spells; the paladin, who now swears an oath, either to a god, to nature or to herself, and draws her powers from that, manifesting as a paladin of vengeance, who loves to kill, or even a paladin of the woodland fae, confusing people with fairy-inspired charms, which are both pretty cool; the ranger, who either slaughters with his own swords or gets a lovely woodland creature to aid him; the rogue, who loves thievery, assassination or arcane tricksteriness, and who of course backstabs non-stop; the sorcerer, who either focuses on her draconic origins or the chaotic influence of wild magic, and who has special sorcery points to spend that allow her to modify spells in much the same way that 3rd edition's metamagic feats worked; the warlock, who is probably my least favorite class, though I like the thematic idea, and who combines 4th edition-esque style powers with classic Vancian casting in a way that I found particularly inelegant; and of course the wizard, who has a huge list of spells to choose from, and who gets to choose one of the classic schools of wizardry--abjuration, conjuration, necromancy et cetera--to modify spells and grant thematic special abilities. In past editions of Dungeons and Dragons, the end of the races and classes chapters would pretty much mark the final steps in creating and customizing your character's abilities, personality and details. Your background also gives you examples for four new stats in fifth edition: your character's personality traits, ideals, bonds and flaws. There is a lot in these chapters regarding roleplaying, cost of living, what your character's do with their downtime and other more mundane--but in my opinion still fun--activities that occur during an adventurer's life. These individual sections are fairly short, but I felt they cover everything to a reasonable degree, still allowing a lot of room for DM or player ideas. Combat is simple and quick, and unlike the past two editions, is assumed to be more of a "theater of the mind" experience, not relying on grids or miniature figurines. In a somewhat silly move, however, attack ranges and positioning and speed are still measured in feet, adding needless complication and increased possibility for arguments when it comes to who can reach who and who is in whose spell's area of effect. I would have much preferred a more narrativist combat positioning system that depended on more abstract zones or areas or something, but I suppose this way still allows for players who want to play with miniatures to do so. It also allows for a certain amount of improvisation, where a player may use his or her action to try and jump on the giant's back and stab him in the eye, for example. The book ends with a few appendices, detailing deities from various D&D worlds, common monsters and animals the players will interact with and summon and even a list of recommended reading, containing the old classics like Tolkien but updated with fantasy novels published as recently as in the last year. They even added some story game elements--how weird is that!--and your character's personality and feelings, for the first time ever in D&D, have mechanical benefits."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Trivia & Fun Facts

Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders
Talk about a bucket list: here are natural wonders—the dazzling glowworm caves in New Zealand, or a baobob tree in South Africa that's so large it has a pub inside where 15 people can drink comfortably. Not to mention the Great Stalacpipe Organ in Virginia, Turkmenistan's 40-year hole of fire called the Gates of Hell, a graveyard for decommissioned ships on the coast of Bangladesh, eccentric bone museums in Italy, or a weather-forecasting invention that was powered by leeches, still on display in Devon, England. “Fair warning: It's addictive.” — NPR, “Cosmos & Culture” “In this gorgeous collection, the celebrated Atlas Obscura website is condensed into 480 pages of awe-inspiring destinations. “Odds are you won’t get past three pages without being amazed at something truly strange that you didn’t know existed.” — San Francisco Chronicle. “Richly illustrated, delightfully strange, this compendium of off-beat destinations should spark many adventures, both terrestrial and imaginary.” — Boston Globe. “Whether describing a Canadian museum that showcases world history through shoes, a pet-casket company that will also sell you a unit for your severed limb, a Greek snake festival, or a place in the Canary Islands where inhabitants communicate through whistling, the authors have compiled an enthralling range of oddities. Featuring full-color illustrations, this hefty and gorgeously produced tome will be eagerly pored over by readers of many ages and fans of the original website.”— Booklist (Starred Review). a wonderful browse [for] armchair travelers who enjoyed Brandon Stanton’s Humans of New York and Frank Warren’s PostSecret .” — Library Journal. It's the kind of book that makes you want to pack in your workaday life and head out to places you'd never have dreamed of going, to see things you could not even have imagined. “ Atlas Obscura is a joyful antidote to the creeping suspicion that travel these days is little more than a homogenized corporate shopping opportunity. Here are hundreds of surprising, perplexing, mind-blowing, inspiring reasons to travel a day longer and farther off the path. Never start a trip without knowing where a haunted hotel or a mouth of hell is!”. —GUILLERMO DEL TORO, filmmaker, Pan’s Labyrinth “ What a strange and wonderful book! Each page reveals some hidden realm—a realm that is frightening, or funny, or magical, or simply mad, but that always leaves the reader in wonder.”. —DAVID GRANN, author of The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Be grateful when visiting the Karni Mata Rat Temple if one of the 20,000 venerated rodents runs across your bare foot—it is considered good luck.
Reviews
"Revel in the places that you've seen!"
"I read a short description of the book in the travel section of the SF Chronicle a few weeks ago, and made the purchase based on that. That said, there are items about things I have no interest in seeing, e.g., “Lake Monsters of the USA,” but there don’t seem to be many of that sort of thing included. As with "Lake Monsters," even if you (or a recipient) aren't likely to visit many of the places described, I think for many curious people this would make for an interesting read even without the travel element. It's not a perfect book, and I don't think any one book can be perfect for all readers, but I do think it's very good and I can easily recommend it for anyone who might be potentially interested."
"This book exceeded my already higher-than-average expectations."
"We purchased it for our 19 year old grandson."
"Such a fascinating book!"
"Super fun and entertaini g read if the off beat and curious is your thing."
"Purchased as a gift and spent much of one night pouring through it before giving it away."
"This book is great to have around to pick up while you're waiting for your son to put his socks on, when your eyes need a screen break, during a boring conference call, when you just want to escape your little world for a few minutes."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Sheet Music & Scores

The Rap Year Book: The Most Important Rap Song From Every Year Since 1979, Discussed, Debated, and Deconstructed
Here's what The Rap Year Book does: It takes readers from 1979, widely regarded as the moment rap became recognized as part of the cultural and musical landscape, and comes right up to the present, with Shea Serrano hilariously discussing, debating, and deconstructing the most important rap song year by year. Complete with infographics, lyric maps, uproarious and informative footnotes, portraits of the artists, and short essays by other prominent music writers, The Rap Year Book is both a narrative and illustrated guide to the most iconic and influential rap songs ever created. Shea Serrano is a no.
Reviews
"Don't trust a man who gives this less than 5 stars."
"Books about rap ranked: 1."
"Let it be known that ShaunPG can be counted on in a crisis."
"Great all-around book."
"A) If you don't buy this book, you can't be trusted in a crisis."
"Simple choice to pick up for you or a friend with its low price point. Shea's writing style is an easy read and is an entertaining "controlled chaos" with the use of footnotes to bring laughs is right out of the Bill Simmons playbook."
"This book is fantastic, but that's not why you should buy it."
"I as well can be counted on in a time of crisis."
Find Best Price at Amazon