Anne Terry

This is a great book, IF you know what you are getting. For realsies. If you don't know a tardis from a taunton, can't tell Louis CK from Patten Oswalt, have never rolled a 20 sided die in an RPG, or leveled up in World of Warcraft, this book might not be for you. But for a particular group of tech and pop culture savvy nerds (generally male), looking for help in the grown up world, this is the book that will try to show the way.

Chris uses his personal struggles, a gigabyte of humor and a gazillion pop culture references to illustrate how the time honored keys to success can be reframed for the hyper-connected who are used to instant gratification online. Goal setting and decision making hasn't changed much over the centuries, but if you look at time management from the perspective of an Evil Genius for example, it may resonate enough to make it a do-able IRL. You are your character in a giant LARP. Here you just need to you identify your abilities and start racking up experience pointsm to get to the next level.

Chris narrates the book, and at warp speed, it might be difficult to catch all the references. Movie and comic book characters abound and shout outs to Ben Franklin, Charlie Rose, Oprah, Stephen Frye, the Kardashians, among many others, pepper the story. Everything from bits of the Lincoln-Douglas debate, to solipsism, to chess, make an appearance, as Chris shares how he overcame panic attacks, a back injury, a serious dependance on alcohol, a crappy credit rating and bad Asian chicken salds, in a way that says, you can absolutely do this too.

I can't imagine "reading" this book. The audio is the way to go, since it's so much like a comedy routine. There are links provided to items which must be diagrams in the book. And those circling the OCD island will certainly find them helpful. I don't see how this book can possibly have a long shelf like. Two years from now, it may be totally incomprehensible. But for the target audience, two years from now is another universe. It's about the now, and in more ways than one.

The Nerdist Way is profane, and not always PC. But it is Chris Hardwick at his best. A pink pill of happy. He's not paying me, but maybe he should.

#hugs

Sort of like TOTN's Science Friday but no call in's. Just an hour of topical interviews on a variety of science issues. Excellent host. Really makes eveything understandable. Scientists from around the world, everyone's passion for their topic comes through.