Thanks to the rise of networks like Discovery Channel, shows like The Big Bang Theory and Mythbusters, and the ever-increasing presence of tech in ordinary consumers’ lives, the word “geek” has slowly morphed from an insult to a compliment. Here are some Kindle books to amuse and enlighten geeks, nerds, and wannabe geeks and nerds everywhere.
Geek Wisdom (4.5/5 stars, currently priced at $2.79)
Computer nerds are our titans of industry; comic-book superheroes are our Hollywood idols; the Internet is our night on the town. Clearly, geeks know something about life in the 21st century that other folks don’t—something we all can learn from. Geek Wisdom takes as gospel some 200 of the most powerful and oft-cited quotes from movies (“Where we’re going, we don’t need roads”), television (“Now we know—and knowing is half the battle”), literature (“All that is gold does not glitter”), games, science, the Internet, and more. Now these beloved pearls of modern-day culture have been painstakingly interpreted by a diverse team of hardcore nerds with their imaginations turned up to 11. Yes, this collection of mini-essays is by, for, and about geeks—but it’s just so surprisingly profound, the rest of us would have to be dorks not to read it. So say we all.
The Nerdist Way: How To Reach The Next Level (4.5/5 stars, currently priced at $9.99)
WELCOME YOUR NEW NERD OVERLORD
Attention, Nerds: You don’t have to be a stereotypical geekwad to appreciate the tenets of Nerdism and to make your innate talents for over-analysis and hyper-self-awareness work for you instead of agin you. Join Nerd superstar Chris Hardwick as he offers his fellow “creative-obsessives” the crucial information needed to come out on top in the current Nerd uprising.
As a lifelong member of “The Nerd Herd,” Chris Hardwick has learned all there is to know about Nerds. He’s studied them, lived with them, and has endeavored to milk their knowledge nectar and isolate its curative powers for what ails you. Thus, he has founded a philosophical system (and blog) called The Nerdist, and here he shares his hard-earned wisdom about turning seeming weaknesses into world-dominating strengths.
From keeping your heart rate below hummingbird levels to ignoring your brain, Hardwick reveals the secrets that can help you accomplish what you want by tapping into your true nerdtastic self. Remember, success is the most satisfying—and legal—form of vengeance there is. And you can achieve it…when you follow the Nerdist Way.
Oh Myyy! There Goes The Internet (4.5/5 stars, currently priced at $9.99)
How did a 75-year old actor from Star Trek become a social media juggernaut? Why does everything he posts spread like wildfire across the ether, with tens or even hundreds of thousands of likes and shares? And what can other sites, celebrities and companies do to attain his stratospheric engagement levels, which hover or top 100 percent while theirs languish in the single digits?
Read about George Takei’s meteoric rise and dominance of the Internet in Oh Myyy (There Goes the Internet), published of course in electronic format.
In this groundbreaking, hilarious and informative book, Takei recounts his experiences on platforms such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, where fans and pundits alike have crowned him King. He muses about everything from the nature of viral sharing, to the taming of Internet trolls, to why Yoda, bacon and cats are such popular memes. Takei isn’t afraid to tell it likes he sees it, and to engage the reader just as he does his legions of fans.
Both provokingly thoughtful and wickedly funny, Oh Myyy! captures and comments upon the quirky nature of our plugged-in culture. With Takei’s conversational yet authoritative style, peppered with some of his favorite images from the web, readers should be prepared to LOL, even as they can’t help but hear his words in their heads in that unmistakable, deep bass.
The Geek Handbook: Practical Skills and Advice for the Likeable Modern Geek (4.5/5 stars, currently priced at $9.99)
And the GEEKS shall inherit the earth!
Although it may not be good for their pasty white skin, Geeks these days are enjoying a moment in the sun. From Pop Culture to High-Tech Everything, Geeks rule and everybody else, well, drools.
Drawing on his own knowledge of being a geek for almost 30 years, author Alex Langley provides essential advice for growth and survival for the modern Geek, including the top five games to play on your phone while listening to boring graduation speeches. There are also quotes and anecdotes from classic Geek gods such as Bill Gates, Sheldon Cooper, Felicia Day, “Weird” Al Yankovic and Dr. Who, that inspire all geeks to embrace not only your iPhones and Xboxes, but who you are.
Let’s face it, sometimes being the smartest person in the room isn’t enough. And when it’s not, The Geek Handbook can help. You’ll discover:
• Basics on social interaction, both online and off.
• Fashion: just because you can wear socks and sandals doesn’t mean you should.
• Making friends, making dinner, making babies.
• Warning signs your appliances might secretly be plotting against you.
• Geeky charities that give a +1 to your Light Side score.
• Geek girls: tips on interacting with or becoming one of these burgeoning beauties.
So get your Geek on, and keep it on with The Geek Handbook.
Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food (4.5/5 stars, currently priced at $15.49)
Are you the innovative type, the cook who marches to a different drummer — used to expressing your creativity instead of just following recipes? Are you interested in the science behind what happens to food while it’s cooking? Do you want to learn what makes a recipe work so you can improvise and create your own unique dish?
More than just a cookbook, Cooking for Geeks applies your curiosity to discovery, inspiration, and invention in the kitchen. Why is medium-rare steak so popular? Why do we bake some things at 350° F/175° C and others at 375° F/190° C? And how quickly does a pizza cook if we overclock an oven to 1,000° F/540° C? Author and cooking geek Jeff Potter provides the answers and offers a unique take on recipes — from the sweet (a “mean” chocolate chip cookie) to the savory (duck confit sugo).
This book is an excellent and intriguing resource for anyone who wants to experiment with cooking, even if you don’t consider yourself a geek.
• Initialize your kitchen and calibrate your tools
• Learn about the important reactions in cooking, such as protein denaturation, Maillard reactions, and caramelization, and how they impact the foods we cook
• Play with your food using hydrocolloids and sous vide cooking
• Gain firsthand insights from interviews with researchers, food scientists, knife experts, chefs, writers, and more, including author Harold McGee, TV personality Adam Savage, chemist Hervé This, and xkcd
“My own session with the book made me feel a lot more confident in my cooking.”
–Monica Racic,The New Yorker
“I LOVE this book. It’s inspiring, invigorating, and damned fun to spend time inside the mind of ‘big picture’ cooking. I’m Hungry!”
–Adam Savage, co-host of Discovery Channel’s MythBusters
“In his enchanting, funny, and informative book, Cooking for Geeks (O’Reilly), Jeff Potter tells us why things work in the kitchen and why they don’t.”