5/25/2026
Nightcap Notes: On Books
I was sitting there watching Game 3 of the ECF of the Stanley Cup playoffs, listening to Warren Zevon, when it dawned on me that I hadn't posted a blog update in a while. I set down my half empty bottle of Boone's Farm (neon green), and scurried over to my laptop. I pondered…
I hated reading growing up. Like, legit couldn't stand it. I remember as a little kid I used to have a subscription to Highlights Magazine. Remember that? That was as close to reading as it got for me. As I grew a little older I occasionally perused WWE magazines and browsed the occasional Goosebumps. But even that meant skimming the pages or reading half the book before moving on to a new one with an even cooler looking cover. Reading was just not my thing. I got through college maybe reading 4 books total, and that's rounding up. I was a master at starting a book, then quickly setting the book down, finding something else to do, and never picking it up again. As I got older I'd MAYBE read a book every two years or so. A wrestling biography, a political biography, usually something non-fiction. Then in 2012-2013, after getting hooked on the show Californication, I was inspired to start reading fiction. Hank Moody was a writer, and damn he made books look cool. It was while watching the show that I first heard of Charles Bukowski. It's been said, that Dave Duchovny's character is loosely based on Bukowski. So, as enthralled as I was with the show, I decided to check him out. The first Bukowski I read was Women. I fucking loved it. He was my kind of writer. No fluff, no metaphors. Just raw, real, and entertaining as hell. I'll talk more about Buk in a bit, but what I'm trying to say, is, finding Bukowski opened a door for me. It got me reading. Consistently. I dove into Palahniuk, Hemingway, Baldwin, Thompson, among many others. I grew to enjoy fiction just as much as I grew to enjoy non-fiction. Over the last 13 years or so I've grown to love books. Reading is my meditation. It's calming and stress reducing. It's my private little getaway from the outside world. I also love buying books. I buy too many. But, I like to compare it to a wine collector. A wine collector doesn't buy a bottle of wine intending to instantly drink it, they put it on a shelf, let it age, and wait for the right time. That's how I see my books. I buy em, put em on a shelf, and let THEM tell ME when it's ready to be read. Well, at least that's how I justify it…
Ok, enough with the rambling. Let's get to it. I get asked often, so I thought I'd share with you some of my current favorites. These are presented in no particular order, and would probably change every time you ask me. But as of this very moment, here's what I got…
Non-Fiction
Destiny of the Republic
The motivation behind our James Garfield assassination episode, as well as Death by Lightning, the Netflix series. Candice Millard chronicles the second presidential assassination in American history in such an exciting and fascinating way that at times, you feel like you're reading a novel. A thriller. A drama. This book is more than presidential true crime. It quickly spirals into a bizarre and tragic tale involving political corruption, delusion, assassination, and the truly horrifying state of 19th century medicine. Millard somehow makes civil service and presidential train stations feel genuinely suspenseful. It's fascinating, often funny, and enraging in all the best ways. If you're looking to dive into history but worried about being bored, this book would be my absolute #1 recommendation to get your feet wet. You won't be bored. Plus, hometown hero!
No Easy Day
The memoir of Navy Seal and all around bad motherfucker, Matt Bissionnette (Mark Owen was his kayfabe name). Matt was a part of the SEAL Team Six unit that killed Osama bin Laden. This book will have your heart pumping out of your chest as he takes you through his first hand account of that mission. The book also focuses on the preparation, discipline, and chaos that comes with operating at peak level tough guy. It's part war memoir, part behind-the-scenes look at modern special operations, and pretty much impossible to put down once you get into it. He also takes a page or two to break down his Taco Bell order, what a guy! Killing bin Laden and eating TB, sign me the fuck up!
Robert Kennedy and His Times
Author Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. was a long-time Kennedy family friend and historian. And boy did he take diligent notes. This is the definitive biography on Robert F. Kennedy. Back in 2018-19 I spent about 5 months reading this 916 page book. To this day, still my longest. Now, I will admit, this book is not for everybody. This one really gets into the weeds, but as someone who desperately admires Bobby Kennedy, this book scratched all my itches. Schlesinger does a fantastic job of capturing Bobby's transformation from boy, to political operative, to his brother's protector, to one of the most compelling and empathetic figures in American politics. It's part biography, part history of the 1960s, and in my opinion, essential reading for anyone fascinated by the Kennedy era or what might have been in 1968.
Fiction
Ham on Rye
I really can't simply narrow down my favorite Bukowski to just one answer. Honestly, his books would dominate this list. But, instead of listing off every one that I love, I'll try my best to keep it as simple as possible. Ham on Rye is fiction, but it's a semi-autobiographical peek into Bukowski's childhood. Like everything else this man writes, Ham on Rye is dirty, bleak, funny, and somehow oddly comforting all at once. Through the eyes of Henry Chinaski, his alter ego, Buk turns childhood misery, isolation, poverty, and alcoholism into something brutally honest and in a dark way, hilarious. It's not a glamorous coming-of-age story by any means, but let's be honest, nothing he creates is. I've read this book at least five times, and I'm sure I'll read it five times more. This is a simple, fun, deplorable read. And if you're going to dive into anything Bukowski, this is a swell place to start. Though, Post Office is great, and Women is fun erotica, and Factotum… Ok, ok, I'll be done now. Stick with Ham on Rye.
Old Man and the Sea
Story time. Back when I was in school, I can't remember what age. I got a less than satisfactory grade on a report card. It wasn't that I was dumb, I just didn't give a shit. I'd skip homework assignments, ignore my textbooks, and simply put, not apply myself. Well, because of this debacle, I was grounded for the summer. However, I was told that for every book I read, I would get two weeks off my sentence. Deal. I perused the bookshelf and grabbed the smallest book I could find. The Old Man and the Sea. Well, I fucking loved it. This is more than just a novella, this book is about pride, perseverance, loneliness, and refusing to quit even when defeat feels inevitable. Much like me that long, hot summer, isolated from all humanity. Hemingway writes with such basic precision that every sentence makes you feel something. This book somehow says more in 100 pages than others do in 500. Give it a chance. It'll only take about 90 minutes of your time. That includes a beer break.
Lonesome Dove
My Goodness. Never in a million years would I have ever thought I'd be a Western guy. But last year, I found myself going down the dark and dangerous path of following book influencers. As the serial book buyer that I am (see above) this can be costly. Literally. But over and over again I found these people telling me how much they loved Lonesome Dove. I don't know why, but in my mind this book was some cowboy romance story. So, I didn't get the hype. But then I looked into it and found it wasn't romance, but a story of outlaws, tragedies, and friendship. The character work in this book is second to none. Larry McMurtry does a fantastic job of putting you in each of their minds and making you truly appreciate each one, and give a damn if they live or die. If they survive or thrive. The characters he creates are so real, you practically miss them when the book ends. Lonesome Dove starts as a western about a cattle drive, but quickly becomes something bigger. McMurtry blends adventure, humor, violence, and heartbreak into a story that feels incredibly real from beginning to end. Even if westerns aren't usually your thing, like me, this book has a way of pulling you into its world and keeps you there. This book is the first of a four-part series. I've read the second, and soon plan to read the final two books. I guess I'm a Western guy after all. Giddy up.
There ya have it. My list. Or at least, my list tonight. Check em out. Or don't. That's up to you. But I think you're sure to find something enjoyable here. Send me your thoughts. Send me recommendations. I'm open to new things (that's what she said). OK, this is getting lengthy. Goodbye.