Book Pairings
Four books I liked:
What's the best book pairing you can think of? For some, it’s probably something like The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit, but inexplicably I tend to prefer things that stand alone. Usually, that means that I almost always avoid checking out sequels, prequels, or anything else that doesn’t feel original in some overly personalized subjective way.
However, it’s always nice when you find two books you enjoy that find a way to pass each other in the night without ever meeting. Perhaps even more interesting is when they manage to have a common touchstone that bridges the two while being written in different eras. So, we’ll call these pairings Hospitality Hangover and Basketball Meccas.
Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
I consider myself a very loyal person, and when it comes to Shake Shack, that can become a very large milkshake-shaped problem! It’s not enough that they aren’t good for you, my lactose intolerance makes sure that every time that urge hits me I have to double down. Setting the Table isn’t a book on Shake Shack, but it gives you a really good idea of how it came to be. The book breaks down the philosophy behind Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group and how it came to be so successful.
Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
I had the pleasure of hearing Will Guidara talk on a few occasions now and I always manage to walk away impressed. Maybe it’s his mindset or his radical, unrelenting approach to what I think service should look like. In my mind, everyone should be doing their best to carry through their job as if they were number one in the world (it irks me when people do the bare minimum). The book contains radical ideas and I find it closer to the never-ending pursuit of excellence than a book about restaurants.
Showtime by Jeff Pearlman
Mostly I appreciate this book's ability to really help me understand the foundations of basketball. As a fan of the game today, it’s hard for me to understand the fundamentals (in a loving and half-joking way), but this book gave me a better idea of how basketball and L.A. have transformed and evolved throughout generations.
Blood In the Garden by Chris Herring
One of my favorite aspects of basketball besides the game itself is the draw of creating a team, the brinksmanship that is involved with trades, and the strategy of guiding a franchise through better and worse. This book touches on all of that. I loved having insight into personalities like Jeff Van Gundy, Patrick Ewing, etc.
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Austin Church
