This is the the kind of book that makes me long for a headlamp and blanket fort--reading it is too much of an adventure for an armchair, or a park bench. 

Carl Zimmer's latest book got its start in a swimming pool. Carl was at a party one summer, when he noticed something new about his longtime friend Bob: a tattoo of what looked like a little strand of DNA on his shoulder.  

Rose Eveleth and Kristen Clark, our wonderful summer interns, offer a couple of great non-fiction picks as their last official duty here. Featuring eight kinds of salsa, plus Tetris!

In 1910, Robert Falcon Scott led an expedition to Antarctica in a race to become the first explorer to reach the South Pole. The trip went down in history as one of the most grueling, terrible journeys imaginable.

Later this week, Radiolab goes to northeastern Alabama in our new hour-long podcast. For more on that part of our country, and for one of the most honest American memoirs out there, pick up Rick Bragg's All Over but the Shoutin'.

Lately the only song I want to hear is "I Don't Want To Grow Up" by Tom Waits.

In the summer of 1983, Antony Sher got word that he was in line to play one of the most evil characters in literature--Shakespeare's murderous King Richard III. He spent the next year of his life getting ready for the role--turning himself into the "bottled spider," and turning his ambitions, doubts, and inspirations into a stunning account of the inner life of an actor.

This whole novel takes place in a few minutes, in a quiet room drenched with late-afternoon sun.  As the narrator of Room Temperature feeds his baby daughter, he lets his mind wander—and you get to wander with him, through tiny revelations about nose-picking and green dresses and childhood crimes and mobiles made of paint chips.

Friday Night Lights -- This is one that's worth consuming in its original form.

Cryptonomicon - what a beast! This is a novel that's hard to actually describe but a joy to read.

We're keeping a running list of all the books we touch on in our hour-long episodes--a virtual bookshelf that you can scan any time you're looking for a little inspiration. It's in reverse chronological order, so titles from our most recent shows are at the top. Happy reading.