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.
The Submission by Amy Waldman
Books about 9/11 have been trickling out ever since the horrific events happened almost ten years ago. Most are nonfiction explorations into the events, the mysteries, or the conspiracy theories surrounding the tragedy. The Submission takes a different approach as a fictional novel. While the events of 9/11 aren’t directly mentioned in the book, a strikingly similar tragedy occurs in the fictional world and some people are outraged when a Muslim wins a blind-entry contest to design a Ground Zero memorial. Amy Waldman, a former reporter with The New York Times, uses this opportunity to see the story from many different perspectives and shed light on the media frenzy and polarizing opinions that now surround real-life events in the US.
Just My Type: A Book About Fonts by Simon Garfield
Whether we like it or not, typefaces have become a constant part of our visual existence. Just like advertising, we see fonts everywhere, and as much as they are used to convey words, they are also used to persuade us, charm us, pull us in, or make us think. If you’re a design or typography buff, you’ve probably already pre-ordered this book on your Kindle or iPad. If you’re neither of those things, you might be more interested than you think. Nearly everyone in the digital age, whether they realize it or not, knows a fair amount about typefaces. No matter which camp you fall into, Garfield takes a witty approach to a topic that is fun, relevant, and fascinating at the same time.
Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker by Kevin Mitnick
The title of this book pretty much says it all. If you know nothing about Kevin Mitnick, it’s true that in his period of computer hacking and crimes, he was the world’s most wanted hacker. Mitnick hacked countless computer systems, including those of Motorola, NEC, Sun Microsystems, and Nokia, and eluded the police and FBI for years. The list of unconfirmed, but suspected, crimes continues with wiretapping NSA agents as well as hacking into the DMV, FBI, and Pentagon. With the statute of limitations up on his crimes, this memoir details Mitnick’s experiences as a social engineer and computer hacker, his close escapes of the law, and his eventual showdown with the Feds.
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.
Dexter: The Fifth Season
If you haven’t gotten onboard with this serial killer drama yet, now’s the time. However, queasy stomachs beware. If blood and dark warehouses don’t do you in, you’ll be easily hooked on this complex drama series after just a few episodes. If you’re already hooked on the show, you can now grab the whole season (plus extras) on DVD or Blu-ray for your sinister collection. Season Five sees Dexter in his most complicated roles yet, balancing life as a single father with his desperate need to kill.
Win Win
Paul Giamatti headlines this comedic drama about a family man struggling with his law practice, his wrestling team, and everything in between. He thinks he’s found a way to keep from going under by taking care of an elderly client, until that client’s grandson shows up. The film takes a real approach at humanity and second chances, with supporting performances by Amy Ryan and Jeffrey Tambor. If that didn’t convince you, the film received a 94-percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Paul
This comedy adventure follows two sci-fi nerds as they make their way through the center of the country’s UFO sightings and history. On their RV roadtrip, they unexpectedly meet an alien (Paul, played by Seth Rogen) who’s been living on a top-secret military base for 60 years. In typical alien fashion, Paul recruits the two nerds to help him make his way back to the mothership. On the way, the humans just might become heros.
