The Daily Show-Book Featured in Interview

According to a poll in Time Magazine, Jon Stewart of The Daily Show is considered the most trusted newscaster in America. How did this happen to a comedian who is actually hosting a comedy show? Two reasons: understandable news and brilliant interviewing. Sometimes even the Daily Show interview becomes newsworthy, but you will certainly always get a laugh from the Daily Show. Book reviews and authors however, while typically not hilalours, get great due here.

The Daily Show is actually a great source of news and information.Yes, it is a comedy show, not a newscast. Stewart himself is the first to assert this. Nonetheless, it is one of the best news shows on the air for two major reasons.

First, Stewart is absolutely funny, often hilariously so. But even more, he's clear. He takes topics that are complex and nuanced, that are often written about poorly and boringly, and he (and his writers) create easy-to-understand pieces that are, yes, funny, but also (God help us) understandable and informative.

Yup, he's got a point of view, no question, and his interpretation may skew in a certain direction, but you absolutely get that from many newscasters nowadays. And you are likely to get more fact from him than from many other newscasters and most any pundits.

Second, Stewart is a brilliant interviewer. Not only are the guests topical, but they are extremely varied from current Presidential cabinet members to actors to activitsts to foreign military dictators. He takes a twisted view and the questions this produces are interesting, off-beat, and of course,enteraining.

Here are some of the more recent excellent books and authors featured in Daily Show inteviews.

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

This book sounds awesome. Christopher McDougall talks how the Tarahumara Indians, an obsure and soon to be exploited people in southern Mexico, run hundreds of miles over rocky terrain in sandals. The author was very funny and held his own with Jon. I understand the book is absolutely funny too. I don't know if I'm ready to run barefoot however....

The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America

Teddy Roosevelt only slept 3 hours a night and was a motivated conservationist? Wow,more stuff I didn't know about the man. In this interesting recount, Douglas Brinkley describes the lesser-known side of Theodore Roosevelt's roubust life and his huge impact on America's natural landscape.

Age Is Just a Number: Achieve Your Dreams at Any Stage in Your Life

Yes, yea, she's hot, but you have to admire not just the accomplishments, but her willingness to ignore all the "supposed to be"s.

Most of the books featured on the Daily Show are compelling reads. If you are looking for something to delve into in your free time, grab a book featured on the Daily Show and learn something completely new.