Nerd Alert! Simon Pegg's Autobiography

Even if you are not a fan of Simon Pegg, chances are you've seen in him in one of his movies - Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Run Fatboy, Run and, most recently, Paul. As a particular fan of his work, I was super-excited to see that he had written an auto-biography, but hesitant because the vast majority of biographies that I have read usually turn me off of that person. Happily, this is not one of those. Pegg has written a poignant, sweet, and funny tale of his life thus far.

Born into a middle-class family in western England, Pegg's mother was an amateur actress and his father a musician, so his creative apple didn't fall far from the tree. Growing up in the 1970's and 80's, he details his triumphs and tragedies, first loves and bromances, and throughout it all his adoration of science fiction and other nerdy pursuits. He even includes the autobiography he WISHED he could write, interspersed with the factual accounts, detailing his superhero-like prowess, rugged handsomeness and robotic sidekick.

I don't believe this book will broaden Pegg's appeal beyond those who are already fans - but if you are interested in reading more about him and his background, give this bio a try.

Play Dead by Ryan Brown

Texas high school football meets zombies in this fun and fast-paced debut from Ryan Brown (son of best-selling author Sandra.)

Cole Logan is not your typical high school quarterback - with a reputation as a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, he is known to test the limits of his coach. When he is brutally attacked by members of the rival team the morning of the big game, he fights for the right to still play. When the coach refuses, Cole walks out on his team. When a stunt perpetrated by the rivals goes horribly wrong, the entire team and coaching staff perishes, except for the head coach. Cole, who witnessed the accident and attempted to rescue his teammates, feels responsible and, along with the coach's pretty and smart daughter, seeks revenge.

While neither zombies nor football are something I would normally seek to read about, I really enjoyed this book. The dialogue is snappy, the plot is outrageous, the bad guys are just so, so bad, there is a romantic sideline, and the whole book is just funny. For those looking for a quick, light and fun read for the summer and who are not bothered by the undead, sexual situations or crude language, this just might fit the bill.