Two New Reasons to Read (or at least to listen to someone else reading)

This October, two of my favorite authors will be releasing new books. This is notable because (1) I rarely read because I sadly don't seem to have enough time to sit down and pick up a tome, so anything new in the world of bookdom is of interest to me and (2) it's my blog and, goldarnit, it's notable, okay?

Sarah Vowell caught my eye when she appeared on "The Daily Show" promoting her travelogue-cum-history-lesson Assassination Vacation. I was somewhat familiar with Ms. Vowell, thanks to her voiceover work as Violet from The Incredibles. Still, what struck me about her interview with Jon Stewart was her casual mention that he makes an appearance on the audiobook version, portraying twentieth president James A. Garfield no less. I'd never heard of an author who invites special guests to perform on her audiobook, and Vowell's latest book, The Wordy Shipmates, has a colorful cast of characters, including actors Peter Dinklage, Bill Hader, Catherine Keener, Dermot Mulroney, John Slattery, and "Daily Show" correspondents John Oliver and John Hodgman. The hardcover version of The Wordy Shipmates drops 10/7, as well as the audiobook version, which is totally worth the extra two bucks.

Speaking of "Daily Show" correspondents, resident expert John Hodgman got involved with the show thanks to an appearance on it promoting his first book, a compendium of complete world knowledge entitled The Areas of My Expertise, which in addition to amusing anecdotes about furry lobsters and the Mall of America, also included an exhausting list of 700 hobo names, which have since become the things of internet lore, inspiring an art project and a successful webcomic.

Well, he's back with another massive almanac, this one titled More Information Than You Require, which not only promises to explain "hermit-crab racing" and "how to cook an owl," but also comes with another 700 names, this time of Mole-Men, and will also include their occupations, whatever that means. While Hodgman's television personality (which includes portraying a PC in the incredibly popular Apple ads with him and Justin Long) is one thing, his style of writing is most definitely another, and while people who enjoy the former may not click with the latter, it's worth noting that if you can crack the dense layer of irony that comes pre-packaged with every Hodgman novel, sweet confectionery goodies lay beneath. More Information Than You Require drops 10/21. More info, including the entire book jacket, can be found on Hodgman's (awesome) official website.

Yes, They Went There

Whoever is left standing in the smoldering crater that will be this November's presidential election, I hope that he (or she) will be forced to watch this "campaign ad" (or: pathetic attempt at pandering to fans of professional wrestling) on repeat from the day they win to their inauguration, to serve as a reminder of how shallow and plastic he (again, or she) really is:



As always, Jon Stewart says it better than anybody else.

Kristen Schaal on "The Daily Show"

Comedienne Kristen Schaal, who plays Mel, the #1 fan of "Flight of the Conchords," made her "Daily Show" debut last week. Here's how it went down:



See other nuggets of Kristen Schaal goodness.

Jon Stewart's Post-9/11 "Daily Show" Speech

I've been going into "Daily Show" withdrawal ever since the WGA strike started, so I took to the 'Tube and searched for any clips of Jon Stewart. I was surprised to find someone had uploaded a speech Stewart gave on the first episode of "The Daily Show" since the attacks on September 11th. Keep in mind I didn't start watching "The Daily Show" on a regular basis until my senior year of high school, so this entire segment was new to me.

It's a startling nine-minute monologue with Stewart laying it out and telling it like it is. No sugar-coated diatribe on how we're all gonna move on with our lives, no phony sentimentality. Just straight from the heart honesty and compassion. I've always said that I love Stephen Colbert but his character on "The Colbert Report" is just that: a character. When Jon Stewart does his thing, it honestly feels like he's speaking his mind and telling you what he thinks is wrong with the world. Sure, he has roughly 14 writers working behind-the-scenes, making sure he gets that everyman tone just right, but it's humbling to see that, at least for nine minutes, he was able to speak his peace and move on:



I know it seems weird to post this at this time, but I just saw it and wanted to write a post about it. I hope everyone out there has a Happy Thanksgiving!

Classic "Even Stevphen" Daily Show Clip

Here's some vintage Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert banter on stem cell research, courtesy of The Daily Show:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Stem Cell Debate
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