Here are some of the hottest, most buzzed-about books this week. Download them on your Kindle, read them on your iPad, or go to a bookstore if you like to keep things old-school.
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
In this nearly 1,000-page epic feat of world literature, Murakami tells the story of a young girl in 1984 Tokyo who enters a parallel world after following the strange instructions of a taxi driver. Meanwhile, we follow a young man’s story as he takes on a strange ghostwriting project. The two stories collide in a novel about romance, mystery, and self-discovery. The novel was a huge bestseller in Japan and has now finally made its way to the states.
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Daniel Kahneman, who won the Nobel Peace Price in Economic Sciences for his work in psychology challenging the traditional notion of thinking and decision making, here gives us a book about what he describes as two distinct ways of thinking: fast and slow. The author takes the reader on a fascinating tour of his own thoughts about decision making and the benefits of so-called “slow thinking.” The cerebral book talks psychological theories but also gives the reader practical uses for such thinking.
Giving 2.0 by Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen
This non-fiction book gives us a new and different perspective on the idea of giving and how it can enrich your life. Arrillaga-Andreesen doesn’t just mean writing checks to charitable organizations. It’s both a philosophical guide to giving as well as a practical handbook for maximizing your impact in whatever way you choose to give back.
If you’re looking to add to your movie collection, we’ve selected a few of the best titles coming out this week on DVD and Blu-ray.
Captain America: The First Avenger
Marvel Comics hero Captain America, played here by Chris Evans, leads the fight against evil as the world’s greatest soldier in this superhero story come to life. Captain America must defeat the evil HYRDA organization including the villain Red Skull in this well-received adaptation. Make sure to check out our review. Check out our review.
Bad Teacher
Former flames Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz reunite in this raunchy comedy about a potty-mouthed and inappropriate bad teacher named Elizabeth Halsey. More interested in marrying someone for convenience than her day job of teaching, Halsey continues her bad (and sometimes hilarious) behavior as she tries to woo the substitute teacher (Timberlake) and stay away from the flirty gym teacher (Jason Segel).
The Bridge School Concerts 25th Anniversary Edition
This three-DVD set includes rare and special performances from musical legends as part of the many years of benefit concerts for The Bridge School, a non-profit organization focused on educating children with severe speech and physical impairments. The DVDs show performances, some of rare songs, from legends like Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Tom Petty, Simon & Garfunkel, and many others.
