I have never used the word “charming” in a book review before, but this one totally qualifies. Alan Benet’s The Uncommon Reader is a quick (only 128 pages) captivating read for anybody who enjoys books and the discussion around them.

The basic premise is that the Queen of England takes up reading books from a local bookmobile, with the help of a poor, but knowledgeable, servant. While the Queen’s tastes interests take her into new genre’s and authors her advisers become scared and suspicious of effects the books are causing in the Queen’s outlook on their sensible English world and political tomfoolery ensues.

It’s a great read for anyone who enjoys books, reading and the discussions that surround all of the above. This short and easy treatise serves as a reminder of the power of ideas, books and why we read.

I gave this book 3 out of 5. Also, in the spirit of full disclosure, please note that I received a copy of this book via LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer program.

The Richest Man in Town is a book in the vein of The Millionaire Next Door and paints an interesting picture of America’s most financially successful people. Author Randall Jones pulls out his notes and rolodex he amassed while putting together Worth magazine. The cross section and insights these provide are very illuminating. This book is less on the stats and numbers and more about the philosophies and outlooks of the richest men in town.

Jones organizes the book into 12 Commandments of Wealth, all traits and habits he’s noticed many RMITs share. He then fleshes out these ideas with interviews, history and facts provided by the RMITs he interviews. While you will probably recognize many of the people Jones interviews, the fun part is reading about the RMITs you’ve never heard of. He even interviews and quotes two people from Alabama! One from Tuscaloosa and another in Birmingham.

The book is equal parts personal finance philosophy and business acumen. I think it’s a great read for anyone trying to grow the back account beyond the “paycheck to paycheck” cycle so many are stuck in. I give it 3 out of 5. You can visit the book’s standalone site here.

(In the spirit of full-disclosure, I was given this book by the publisher to read and review.)

X Saves the World: How Generation X Got the Shaft but Can Still Keep Everything from Sucking by Jeff Gordinier

This is a book that I want to share with my friends. Gordinier does a FANTASTIC job of capturing the thoughts, discussions, issues and music that I had all throughout my school days.

Gordinier does a good job of outlining the media’s fascination with the tsunami that is the Baby Boomer generation and the lurid news fix on the youngest generation, the Millennials. Sandwiched between these two spotlight hogging masses is Generation X.

If you’re looking for a strong call to action to save the world and a 10 bullet-point plan for starting a movement. This book isn’t it (and you’re probably a Boomer anyway). If you’re looking for a book to outline a strategy to get your cause noticed and bring some media attention your way. This book isn’t it (and you’re probably a Millennial).

This book has all those things, but presents them in a much more REAL way. Not slacker. Not dumb. Not unmotivated. But data driven; experience driven; community driven. Real.

At 179 pages, it reads like a well-informed passionate op-ed piece and not much more. And the beauty of it, is that it doesn’t try to be much more. Sure there are the rants and causes that come into play late in the book, but this is all just to show what’s possible and what Generation X is grappling with now, in 2009.

At a minimum, the book will have you out renting Slacker, Googling Captain Beefheart and surfing eBay for Oblique Strategy Cards.

So if you’re looking for something to help you build you case or start a movement, there are probably better books out there. But if you’re interested in what’s happened over the past 20 years, where it’s all going and who is in charge, then this short cultural history is just the thing.

(Special thanks to Laura whose review made me want to pick up this book)