REFERENCE BOOKS
You say you want a revolution? Well, when it comes to reference books there seems to be the faintest hint that there could be one afoot. Two recent titles in particular come to mind: the wildly entertaining “Pick Me Up” by Jeremy Leslie and David Roberts and the smart statistics of “The Visual Miscellaneum: A Colorful Guide to the World’s Most Consequential Trivia.” While both books certainly have their differences, the tack they take to digest and regurgitate information is creative, surprising, enlightening and extremely colorful. These are books for folks of all attention span levels who like to learn while being charmed. And if you appreciate good graphic design you’re in for a treat. Take the randomness of the Internet and blend it up with an encyclopedia set and a “Trivial Pursuit” game and you’re fast approaching the quick paced, addicting adventure awaiting readers with “Pick Me Up.” For a much more serious, but no less exciting look at the world around you, “The Visual Miscellaneum” will put subjects like alternative medicine, DNA, diets, the Middle East, cancer, carbon and coffee into better perspective. If you’re looking for a wacky, cool, conversational holiday gift this year, consider “Pick Me Up,” which is currently listed for less than $20 on amazon.com. I can’t imagine anyone actually picking it up without a good time ensuing shortly thereafter. Those on a tight budget who would like to think about the world a little differently with the help of a visual aid and no cash transactions involved, might want to wander over to http://thisisindexed.com at some point. It’s not as colorful as the books, but this wonderful blog that began more than three years ago by Jessica Hagy with the description “this is a little project that allows me to make fun of some things and sense of others without resorting to doing actual math” gets a smile out of me every time I visit.
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