Bonus Post: 2011 Reading List

In one of life's weird little paradoxes, the worst thing about my current job is also one of the coolest.

I'm talking about my commute, of course. It's an hour each way, a fact I try not to think about too much. Frankly, it kills me that I spend 10 hours each week just getting to work and back. Gak - I literally hadn't done that math until just now. Pardon me, I need a moment.

Ahem.

OK, I'm back. Where was I? Oh yeah, I was saying my commute is simultaneously one of the worst and best things about my job. What could possibly be good about spending that much time in transit? Two words: I get to do a lot of reading. Not sure that quite makes up for the (gulp) 10 hours a week, but it does take the sting out.

So, I figured I'd recommend a few recent reads and post my current List Of Books I'm Gonna Read. I'm hoping my readers will pass along a few recommendations of your own.

I recently finished Mary Roach's Packing For Mars, which was brilliant and hilarious. I haven't read her previous books yet, but if they're anything like this one, sign me up. I also just wrapped up Steve Martin's new book, An Object of Beauty. I loved his The Pleasure of My Company, and this new one didn't disappoint. Not a funny book per se, but thoroughly enjoyable. Cory Doctorow's Little Brother brought out the hacker in me, although politically conservative readers may find his political commentary off putting. And speaking of hacking, it's always fun to flip through 2600 magazine.

What's ahead? Here's my current list:

• Better, Atul Gawande (I read Complications a few years ago. Amazing!)
• Earth, The Book, Daily Show Staff
• Colonel Roosevelt, Morris (Best.President.Ever. Morris' other two books - Rise and Rex- were incredible)
• Scouting The Divine, Feinberg (My wife loves Margaret Feinberg and this book looks remarkable)
• The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Larsson (heard so much about it figured I should pick it up)
• Alcatraz vs the Knights of Crystalia, Sanderson (Kid lit = my favorite genre)
• The Wordy Shipmates, Vowell (She cracks me up)
• The Ghost Map, Johnson (picked this one up on the bargain rack - looks interesting)
• The Ragamuffin Gospel, Manning (this one's a re-read. Knocked my socks off the first time through)
• Naked Heat, Castle (I know, it's not really written by Richard Castle, 'cause he's not real. But any tv show with a writer as the main character has my attention right away)
• Kon Tiki, Heyerdahl (Picked this up at my parent's place, and the first page grabbed me by the shoulder and wouldn't let go)
• Man's Search For Meaning, Frankl (Heard about this one for forever, figured I'd take a look)
• The Gospels of Luke & John (technically not commute related - I'm reading these over breakfast)

And of course there's Wired magazine and a recent issue of Analog Santa brought me.