When reading for recreation, I primarily read science fiction for reasons I’ve previously documented. I particularly enjoy near-term, hard science fiction. It fascinates me to see how authors extrapolate current technology trends into believable stories. It’s amazing how many of the trends projected in these stories have come to pass.

I also enjoy classic science fiction. Authors such as Isaac Asimov, Philip K Dick, Kurt Vonnegut, and Ray Bradbury wrote books that were well ahead of their time. Some of their writings are just as applicable today, if not more so, than when they were written back in the day. That’s why I like to occasionally slip a classic author into my reading, which is how I happened upon Way Station by Clifford D. Simak.

For our annual golf trip this year, Brad and I went to Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. It was a true once-in-a-lifetime experience, which I documented here. It’s hard to put into words what an amazing trip it was. If you’re considering a golf trip there, my simple advice is to go. Now. You won’t regret it.

While we were there, Our caddie Eddie suggested I read Dream Golf by Stephen Goodwin. It delves into the inspiration for the resort and covers the building of the first four courses – Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Trails, and Old MacDonald. Given how much I enjoyed the experience, Eddie didn’t have to mention it twice. I purchased the book from the gift shop the day we left the resort.

The world we live in is a special and awe-inspiring place. It can also feel rather mystical. Just think about the sheer number of animals and insects that roam the earth, the sun, the seasons. The list goes on and on.

In the past, humans created stories to explain how and why these natural phenomena occurred. It’s only natural. We’re a curious lot, and stories are a great way to describe the unexplained. Stories are also a great way to pass information down from generation to generation.

Fortunately, science has come a long way over the years. We no longer have to rely solely on generational stories to explain natural phenomena. Many of these have plausible explanations, some quite simple and obvious. In The Magic of Reality: How We Know What’s Really True, author Richard Dawkins looks at a number of the seemingly magical things that occur around us and how they can be explained.

One of my favorite “under the radar” authors is Robin Sloan. He’s not a prolific writer, but he has written two of my favorite books: Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore and Sourdough: A Novel. If you haven’t read either of these novels yet, I highly recommend. They are both fun, adventurous reads.

When the Goodreads newsletter announced that Sloan was coming out with a new book, The Suitcase Clone, I had to take a look. When I saw that it was part of the Penumbra-verse and a prequel to Sourdough, I had to read it.

Progressive’s Dr. Rick commercials are favorites among me and the family. I suppose it’s because a lot of them hit just a little too close to home. I’ll be the first to admit that he’s nailed more than one of my mannerisms that’s had the kids giving me “the look.”

When I saw that there was a book coming out, Dr. Rick Will See You Now, imagine my surprise. The summary was that it was advice from Dr. Rick himself on how to not become your parents. I figured it would be a fun read. And when it was promoted as a free download from Amazon, I jumped on it.

Turns out, it wasn’t what I expected.

Many years ago, a good friend of mine had me read the Michael Murphy classic, Golf in the Kingdom. I knew how to play the game, but Murphy’s book helped me understand it. On the surface, golf is a silly game. You try to hit a little white ball into a small hole with a bunch of crooked sticks. But at a deeper level, the game can teach you a lot about yourself, people around you, and the world in general. Golf in the Kingdom helped me grasp the depth of the game.

That same friend recently gave me a copy of Rick Reilly’s book, Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump. The book is a collection of stories and anecdotes detailing Trump’s involvement and interest in golf, both on and off the course. I thought it would be an interesting read to test my theories about golf being a generally good indicator of a person’s character.