(Note: Today is Canada Day. I hope Simon and all the other hosers have a great one.)

Generally I read during my lunch hour, and in shorter bursts at home. A fan of a variety of fiction genres, lately I’ve been dipping my toes in nonfiction. One of the books I almost put down after reading half of it, another is a collection of compelling short pieces, and the other is a unique look at a topic covered in innumerable previous works. Winding down to the end now at about the same time, they’re geeky, sporty, and historic, respectively.

I came across all of these by accident at a local library fundraiser sale and spent a total of $1.50. Below are my impressions of what my bargain hunting got me.

To Seek Out New Life: The Biology of Star Trek
by Athena Andreadis, Ph.D

A lifelong fan of “Star Trek” and most TV series and movies that it spawned, I hoped this book would be fun. At first, it was. The way Andreadis ties the show’s plots in with biology lessons kept my whole brain intrigued. She makes the case quite early on that one of Star Trek’s most-loved characters — Mr. Spock — could not exist, along with every other cross-bred character on the show. She also debunks transporter technology and all plots relying on the malfunction of same. At first the biology lessons are a fun refresher, but then they become pedantic and laborious, and too often she focuses on philosophy rather than fact. Andreadis, an accomplished neurobiologist and an associate professor of Cell Biology at University of Massachussetts Medical School, no doubt knows her science. Her preaching gets a bit old, however, so this one isn’t for me. Suggestion: It turns out maybe I should have gone for Life Signs: The Biology of Star Trek instead. Or that I’m just a casual ST fan, after all.

Battlefield: Farming a Civil War Battleground
by Peter Svenson

Nominated for a National Book Award, this work is by and about an artist who buys a farm that happened to be the site of the Battle of Cross Creek. It’s interesting to see how he works to make the farm operational again (hilarious groundhog eradication attempts, anyone?), and along the way learns about, and eventually gives impromptu tours of, the battle that took place there. My wife and I once lived in the Shenandoah Valley, so it is fun for me as I recognize the places Svenson mentions. Suggestion: I sometimes get a little bogged down in the battle strategy telegrams he quotes, because I’m more of a visual learner, but those and his efforts to become a farmer make it a good read.

The Best of Frank DeFord: I’m Just Getting Started
by Frank DeFord

I got to know DeFord’s work through several years of listening to National Public Radio’s (NPR) “Morning Edition.” First and most obviously, DeFord is a very good writer, and for that has won U.S. Sportswriter of the Year 10 times and twice was voted Magazine Writer of the Year by the Washington Journalism Review. His topic just happens to be one covered very little on NPR — sports.

Beyond the writing quality, it quickly becomes apparent that despite his devotion to his topic, DeFord is not an apologist. He is willing to express things he thinks are wrong with sports, and does so often. This book is a collection of transcripts from his radio commentaries and long articles from “Sports Illustrated.” Suggestion: Worth reading, even for those who don’t follow athletics at all.