Awesome Books

Learn how to drive better and more safely not just in a sports car on a track, but in your daily driver with this excellent book from pro stunt and racecar driver Ben Collins, who has driven cars for the James Bond series, The Dark Knight Rises, and portrayed The Stig on Top Gear.

The crazy expensive Kindle Oasis is 20% thinner than previous models, with a new design that makes it easier to hold one-handed (for both lefties and righties). It also has improved backlighting and comes with a charging cover that extends its battery life to months.

Christine McConnell is known as the “Queen of Creepy Cookies” for good reason. Her creations include such subversive pastries as an Alien Xenomorph Easter Bunny and edibles with tentacles. Learn to make your own disturbing desserts with her new book.

Phaidon’s ultimate reference manual for pizzaphiles catalogs more than 1,700 great places around the globe to grab a slice or a whole pie. This 576-page book is sure to be covered with grease and tomato sauce by those who use it regularly.

Put down your smartphones and game controllers and go play outside! Recess. Ben Applebaum and Dan DiSorbo’s book catalogs and offers rules for over 150 games, from the many variants of tag, to hopscotch, four square, and dodgeball.

The teaser for Magic in North America, a new series of stories from J.K. Rowling set in the Harry Potter universe. The first story in the series is History of Magic in North America, and is itself split into multiple parts, all of which will be available on Pottermore.

(Gore) The latest project from ultra DIY channel How to Make Everything is about making a book. Host Andy George spent a total of 50 hours making paper – cotton, hemp, wood – a pencil, a quill pen, a leather cover, ink and glue. More here.

Chicago artist Alex Solis (aka AlexMDC) is crowdfunding the production of this hilarious picture book which provides insight into the true identities of numerous cartoon and pop culture characters. Snoopy as Brian and Homer as Peter Griffin are priceless.

Become a whisky connoisseur fast with The Essential Scratch and Sniff Guide to Becoming a Whisky Know-it-All, a 24-page guide by master sommelier Richard Betts. The book includes a flavor profile chart and scratch-and-sniff scents to help identify flavor elements.

A coffee table book featuring beatmaker Ross Schwartzman aka DJ Ross One’s extensive collection of hip hop t-shirts, sweaters and other merchandise, including bootlegs and one-offs. LL Cool J should bring back the Troops while he can. More at NYT.

Automotive author Jason Fogelson has spent years traveling America experiencing some of its greatest roads, auto shows, factory tours, off-road trails, tracks, driving lessons and more. He shares the best in 100 Things for Every Gearhead to Do Before They Die.

Walking with her distracted father, a young girl notices wildflowers growing all over the city. She collects and shares them with others along the way. This wordless illustrated book may be aimed at kids, but its reminder applies to everyone in this age of multitasking.

Author Matthew Rowley was given a old book of poetry. The book contained a secret manuscript with hundreds of recipes for compounding ingredients to create imitations of banned liquors. Learn which ones are worth replicating and which are downright dangerous.

Author and illustrator Austin Light decided to improve upon the titles of movies by just removing a single letter from their titles. Our cringeworthy favorites include and The Silence of the Labs and Finding Emo. Based on his ridiculously popular imgur gallery.

Tom Roston’s book I Lost it at the Video Store is a collection of interviews with Quentin Tarantino, Kevin Smith, David O. Russell, and other great filmmakers whose love for film were cultivated by video rental stores. Excerpt here. Tom’s list of video stores here.

This year’s edition is packed with over 350 pages of work from established and up-and-coming writers and artists. There’s something for everyone from cheerful romance, to dark tales of woe. We rather enjoyed the chapter intros, drawn by editor Jonathan Lethem.

Award-winning artist Jim Kay brings Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to life in this illustrated edition, creating 115 illustrations in different media. The other Harry Potter books will get illustrated editions as well. More here.

Kat Su’s book of f–d up taxidermy is at once hilarious and disturbing, filled with the strange creations we get when we let crazy people try to do “art” with deceased animals. Buy the book or check out the website.

In his biography slash reference book, Robert Schnakenberg provides a comprehensive look at one of acting’s greats, a man who can go from the most serious to madcap roles in the same year, and has a special place in the hearts of millions.

On first sight we thought this quirky little book would be great for the guest room or gag gift, but it carries a larger, significant message, encouraging its readers to break routine and always stay curious about life. Gotta go read now.

Dan Perkins aka Tom Tomorrow is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his postmodern political satire comic strip This Modern World by compiling every TMW strip from 1990 until this year (plus bonus art) in a two-volume set.

Mix tape aficionados and children of the ’80s can keep the dream alive with a pair of Fred & Friends little magnetic bookmarks. Enjoy using the excess ribbon to mark your page, instead of attempting any more messy manual rewinds with a pencil.

Author Tim Ferriss teaches the concept of “meta-learning” to help you not only become a better cook, and to hunt and forage, but the essential techniques to learn more quickly. Download the audiobook for free from the Technabob Shop.

Learn this ancient art of paper folding while putting your dirty mind to use with this book, which offers up step-by-step directions for crafting a variety of rude, crude and lascivious shapes you can leave lying around your desk.

Amazon’s backlit e-book reader now has a high-resolution 300 ppi 6″ screen. It has a new font made for e-books, and better typography and page layouts to preserve the original format even when you increase the font size.

Oyster is a read-all-you-can ebook subscription for mobile devices. The latest version of its app filters out blue light to reduce eye strain when reading at night or in the dark. If you love f.lux, you’ll love this reader.