Read it. Watch it. Buy it.

Thought I would inaugurate a new segment on the blog discussing all things new and interesting in the world of literature, film, and consumerism - three of my favorite things.

Read it: Two great comedic reads from two very different authors: Bill Bryson's Neither Here Nor There: Travels in Europe and David Sedaris' When You Are Engulfed in Flames. Sedaris' brilliance is, I think, well established, all the more so if you've ever caught him on This American Life. Once you've heard him read one of his pieces aloud, you will never be able to look at his writing the same again. Every Sedaris work from then on will require two readings - one silently to yourself, and another when you read and let his voice recite the words in your mind. I promise you you'll laugh harder the second time. Bryson's tone is a radical departure from Sedaris' in this book, and he's a bit more coarse than I'm used to from his work in A Short History of Nearly Everything. But many of his observations of Europe are spot on - except for maybe that one paragraph about the Germans. Nevertheless, it's a joyful romp across the European continent, and worth you $9.95. It almost makes me wish I was still teaching. I had a student who absolutely loved and constantly tried to emulate the writing of Dave Barry. It would have been fascinating to point him towards Bryson and Sedaris and see if the radical style departure carried over into his writing.

Watch it: Another pairing, this time Capote and Children of Men. Maybe you should save the comedy for after you watch these films; you might need the shot of endorphins. For those of you who remember In Cold Blood from high school, Capote will be a fascinating look at the other side of the page. The movie details Truman Capote's self-serving and narcissistic obsession with the men who killed the Clutter family, and the subsequent book that arose from it. With an astounding performance by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, this is really not a movie to be missed. Children of Men is one of those films I couldn't force myself to watch when it was in theatres. Who wants to pay $9.75 to be depressed? Unfortunately, I missed the point. Picking up 20 years after an epidemic of infertility sweeps the world, the film considers some fascinating questions about human nature - suggesting perhaps that hope is an emotion inseparable from youth. It's a violent film, but that violence makes its moments of tenderness that much more riveting. While the ending was less than I hoped, the journey was well worth the time.

Buy it: LEGO Batman for Wii. Let's just go ahead and say it. LEGO Indian Jones sucked. LEGO Batman redeems that suckage a bit. While it still doesn't achieve the absolute brilliance of LEGO Star Wars, it's a damn good go at it. And there's no better way to relax with your honey on a rainy Saturday afternoon.