What to read next?

If I learned one thing from watching Reading Rainbow while growing up it would be this: That guy from Star Trek: The Next Generation didn't always wear an air filter around his face.

If I learned anything beyond that it would be that books are cool. I'm down with books. Me likey the read. Often I go through long stretches of not even touching a book. Then I'll go through intense, compact stretches of passionate reading. Most of the other times I just go to Borders and buy some books to make myself feel like I do more than play video games. (Which reminds me: I have another assassination assignment on Assassin's Creed to get to.) Currently I am a mix of all three. I haven't read much, but I'm dying to get deep into one of the books I bought under false pretenses. I recently finished Denis Leary's Why We Suck and quite enjoyed it. His takes are pretty much all spot on and I recommend it to any one with a sense of humor. Those without one should also read it... because your frustration would be funny to me. Any way... I need to choose my next book to read.

So, in true Internet fashion... I'm asking you to help. Here are the choices:

1776- David McCullough

Having torn through my Mother's copy of McCullough's John Adams, I asked to borrow McCullough's book about the most important year of our country's history. I actually started it before I moved twice in what seemed like two days. I stopped, but I was having trouble picking it back up. McCullough's a great writer, but the text can be thick at times. Out of my reading rhythm, I found the task of diving back in a bit daunting.

Pro: I can finally find out if America won that war.

Con: I just read John Adams. I might want to take a break from the Founding Fathers and this book has them crawling all over the pages with muskets and Declarations of things.

Mornings on Horseback- David McCullough

Here I was slightly afraid to dive back into McCullough and the first thing I do is ask my Mom to buy me a book on Teddy Roosevelt. She, of course, buys me this one. Having watched the History channel's program The Presidents over a weekend prior to that frightening hero worship that happened on 1-20-09, I decided that I knew way too little about Theodore Roosevelt. I knew he was a President, a Rough Rider, a big stick carrier, a Bull Moose guy, etc. I knew he liked Yosemite just like me, but really all my knowledge of him stopped there and with what I learned in that Tom Berenger mini-series a few years ago that focused on the Rough Rider-era Roosevelt. So, here the book is... sitting on my computer desk waiting to be selected for reading.

Pro: The book only focuses on the boy that became the man, so I'll learn the deep history of Teddy. Stuff you won't even know.

Con: The book only focuses on the boy that became the man, so all that cool stuff I mentioned above won't be there. It'll kind of be like the time in elementary school when I checked out a Star Wars novel about the Crazy Adventures of Lando Calrissian only to find out that Lando was the only character from the movies in the book.

Billy the Kid: A short and violent life- Robert M. Utley

I love me some Young Guns and Young Guns II. I mean seriously. If those ain't the two greatest movies ever made in the history of talkies then hang me dead, dead, dead. For the longest time I have been meaning to sit down and read about the whole story. Yet, in truth, I've hesitated because I always thought that if I knew the real story then the Young Guns films would lose their luster in my over educated brain. It'd be like watching Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers with someone who is not able to get over the fact the Elves never showed up to help defend Helm's Deep in the book. And, look, I get it. I'm like that with other things. I hated the Transformers movie because every nerd knows Bumblebee is a VW bug. I'll never get over it. So, long story short, I purchased this book with a little trepidation.

Pro: I'll know the real story.

Con: The book has the worst cover illustration I have ever seen. It's got "Billy the Kid" in a sombrero the size of flying saucer holding a shot gun in front of some fierce looking Cactus (or Cacti or Many Cactusly Cacti). It seriously looks like some bad Where the Wild Things Are: The Cowboy Adventures children's craft time drawing.

Doc Holliday- Gary L. Roberts

While picking up the Billy the Kid book, I looked down a few shelves and saw this one. Now if Young Guns and Young Guns II aren't the greatest movies ever than Tombstone should be in their place. That's a major quote party. So, in the same vein I decided it was time to learn about good ole' Doc. All five hundred pages of him.

Pro: The book's got action, gun fights, and the making of one of the greatest anti-heroes ever.

Con: Apparently Val Kilmer was just an actor and the real Doc Holliday is probably no where near as cool.

Slam- Nick Hornby

I am a Horbyphile. High Fidelity was a life changer. Hornby could have never written another book and I would still follow him to the ends of the Earth in a literary sense. Fortunately he did write more. (About a Boy equals Awesomeness and Long Way Down is very underrated.) After a bit of a lay off from writing novels Hornby returned with Slam, a novel supposedly for young adults. Approaching thirty-three, I am no longer in that demographic despite the amount of GI Joe figures I buy at Target, so I wasn't too keen on reading a book for young adults. Buuuutttt... It is Hornby. I should trust him.

Pro: It's Hornby.

Con: It's still not High Fidelity 2

Fantasy Baseball Player Guide 2009

This one is devoted to one of my nerd passions. I was standing in line with the some of the other books when I realized that the Nerdball Books were out. I got as excited as Navin R. Johnson on new phone book day. I picked up one.

Pro: This book lets me know that its a good thing that I own San Francisco Giants prospect Pedro Sandoval at $2.

Con: This book lets me know that the N.L. catching talent is too thin this season and that after the top N.L. shortstops it will be a scramble to find a serviceable starter. Also, apparently this is not a book, but rather a glossy magazine.

So, there you go. What should I choose? And feel free to throw in your own suggestions. (The Audacity of Hope will not be accepted as a suggestion. Thank you.)