Yesterday when I returned from the bookstore (with a new Penguin Classic) I spent a few moments bookmarking books for my too read list. I also discovered that Neil Gaiman has a new book that is being released tomorrow. Instructions is a picture book collaboration with illustrator Charles Vess which reads as a how-to-survive-a-fairytale manual. Check out this animated trailer for the book from Harper Collins. I think this would make a great graduation gift instead of Oh the Places You’ll Go.

I’ve actually been plowing through the book Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms for the last few weeks. If you have ever watched all the Lord of the Rings movies back to back, or showed up at the local bookstore at midnight to get the latest Harry Potter book, or maybe you played World of Warcraft a couple times, then this book is for you. The book takes a look at escapism in many forms, from Dungeons and Dragons to Wizard Rock (Think Harry and the Potters).

We follow the author (Ethan Gilsdorf) on his personal journey across continents to reconnect with his inner geek and along the way discover that being a “nerd” isn’t so bad. Ethan’s has shed some light onto this gaming and fantasy culture and has been able to share the stories of all the people he met along his voyage. This book is the perfect mix of astounding facts and a comical glimpse into the lives of ordinary people, who just might live next door to you