Bob Harris (1) (1963–)

Summary: Who Hates Whom is essentially a Cliff Notes guide to current events. Ever hear about some conflict on the news and can't remember which side is which, who's giving money and arms to whom, and what they're fighting over/about anyways? This is the book for you. Each of the world's current conflict hotspots gets a list of the main factions fighting; a map showing the area with factions, resources, bombings, religious tensions, pirates, and other relevant features clearly marked; and a show more short (5-10 page) write-up in which Harris gives the relevant history and explains the current state of each conflict.

Review: I am not a huge news-reader; it would not be an exaggeration to say that I get more of my current events knowledge from NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me than I probably should. (It used to be The Daily Show, but I no longer have cable TV.) So, while this is not my ordinary kind of book, I am perhaps one of its target audience. And Harris does a very good job of presenting global politics at a level that even the chronically-underinformed like me can appreciate. Not only is he clear, concise, and informative, but he's also funny as heck, and manages to inject some much-needed humor - and a surprising amount of hope - in amongst the death tolls and lists of atrocities. Even the maps manage to have a sense of black humor to them: in the chapter on Haiti, Haiti is in white, and the Dominican Republic and Cuba are in grey - colors which, as the legend informs us, indicate "areas where the Spanish never found giant assloads of gold" and "countries that still have trees", respectively.

This isn't exactly your average coffee-table book, but it would be an excellent reference, and I think it would work best as something that was dipped into on occasion. Reading it straight through in large chunks got pretty depressing, not to mention that the various rebel groups in all start to blend together (not a lot of creative naming power, there.) On that same tip, this book could really have used an index; as it is, if you see a news report about the Revolutionary United Front blowing something up somewhere and want more information, you're just going to have to thumb through until you see the right acronym. But, overall, while it wasn't the kind of book that had me dying to dive back in and read more, it did a very nice job at its stated purpose: providing an accessible and entertaining layman's guide to wars around the world. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: I can see a news buff really enjoying this, but even for those who aren't big into current events, it's a pretty painless and interesting way to get up-to-speed. show less

Bob Harris was a multiple winner on Jeopardy! and participated in several of their champions' tournaments, scoring some very big wins as well as suffering some embarrassing losses. In this book, he talks about his experiences of playing the game, his experiences of obsessively cramming for the game, how his performance on the show affected his personal life, how his personal life affected his performance on the show, and the lasting and rather wonderful effects that opening himself up to show more that much sheer random knowledge had on him.

I haven't watched Jeopardy! in ages, but through my teens and early twenties I was a dedicated viewer. To say that I'm not a fan of game shows in general would be an understatement, but Jeopardy! was the one glorious exception; there were times when it honestly seemed to be the only thing on TV that actually respected my intelligence. For a long time, I even had dreams of trying out for it myself.

So, I expected this book to give me me a vicarious sense of what it would be like to be a contestant on the show, which it did, and I expected that to be fun, which it was. And since Harris is a professional comedian, I expected it to be funny, which it very much was. What I wasn't expecting was all the things it also was: exciting, suspenseful, thoughtful, intelligent, humble, genuinely moving, and full of warmth, humanity, and even a surprising amount of insight. And did I mention funny?

It also kind of made me want to rekindle that old dream of trying out for the show. Which, I admit, I probably will not ever actually do. But if I do, well, I'll know where to turn for experienced advice, because there's some of that in here, too. show less

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am a major Jeopardy! fan, so I loved the behind-the-scenes descriptions, and the blow-by-blow descriptions of trying to recall obscure facts while mastering the buzzing-in timing, which is key. Bob Harris excels at describing his thought process and inner dialogue.

The book also looks at the memory techniques he used, and at his personal life. It is often laugh-out-loud funny and often very touching and profound.

After finishing this book, I watched show more Jeopardy! last night with new eyes. If you like the show, you must read this! show less

Prisoner of Trebekistan: A Decade in Jeopardy! does exactly what I’d hoped when I bought the book. It shows you exactly what it’s like to be a contestant on the lauded game show Jeopardy! The book opens with Bob Harris describing in detail the anxious end of a round of Double Jeopardy. What it’s like to stand behind a contestant’s podium (bigger than you would think), sweating it out, knowing the response to the clue being read, knowing that the competitors also likely know the show more response and not being able to buzz in until Alex finishes reading the clue.

Bob Harris is a good narrator. He has been a Jeopardy! contestant numerous times and takes us through his many experiences with the show. Describing what it is like to try out for the show (and fail, repeatedly), what it is like to win (and lose) big. Prisoner of Trebekistan isn't solely about a man's obsessive quest to win at Jeopardy! That is what hooked me into reading it and it is there, in detail. But it is also about how the initial pursuit to cram information into his head (he repeatedly points out that he doesn't necessarily learn these facts in their proper context) opened new, unexpected vistas. Eventually facts link up with each other, creating a hunger for him to learn more and travel the world. He calls this hunger for knowledge 'Trebekistan'.

We also learn details about Bob's personal life. These details are handled with the pacing and detail of a good novel, making the book a read that will run you through the gamut of emotions. You will be cheering him on as he and those he cares about face tough times. You'll squirm as he makes dumb decisions. He worked as a comedian and it shows as the writing is often funny, though never so funny it is intrusive.

As you can see, I really grooved on the book. I'm afraid this review is too gushy. It's not just that as a nerd I am interested in Jeopardy! (though that is part of it), but Bob Harris is also a skilled narrator, throwing in enough asides and humor to keep the book personable. If you enjoy watching Jeopardy!, the book is definitely worth a read. But I also think folks that don't care a whit about the show would enjoy the book. show less