I just started reading What is the What, Dave Egger's "novel" about the war in Darfur and the rest of the Sudan.

I put "novel" in quotation marks, because really, this is the life story of Valentino Achak Deng, one of Sudan's "Lost Boys" who literally walked out of the warzone, bounced through a few refugee camps, and eventually landed in America with no money or family, but with the guidance of gentle souls and staggering quantities of will and hope.

This is not a happy story, but it sure seems important. It will probably take me two weeks or so to read this book, and I'll post my reactions here. I'm also excited to attend a discussion by Deng later this week at Boston College.

In something of a BTP experiment, I encourage you, dear reader, to track down a copy and join me in discussion.

A final note: I respect the heck out of Dave Eggers. He is committed contributing his art to efforts to create a better world. This book tells a vital story, and proceeds support Deng's foundation for educational and financial assistance for Sudanese refugees. In addition, Eggers is the driving force behind the 826 organization that provides after-school arts and writing workshops to kids in seven cities.

Although such do-gooder-ism can sometimes be derided, I think it's pretty admirable to believe care, creativity, and community can actually change the world.

It's no secret that indie rock music is my cultural passion. But it's not like I ignore other forms of media. That's why I'm so excited today to introduce the brand new BTP Book Club.

The process is simple. When I find a new and interesting book to read, I'll post it here. I hope that others will either have read it already or go out and read it with me.

I'll post my thoughts on the book when I'm finished. The peanut gallery can add their two cents in the comments. You don't even need to actually read the book to participate.

I don't see a new to make a lot of special rules for this endeavor. It's meant to be casual and fun.

I will say that I usually read at least 2 books a month: one for my real-world contemporary fiction book club and one non-fiction book that usually touches on the political, technological, and social issues that interest me more generally.

First up is The Long Tail by Chris Anderson, the Editor-in-Chief of Wired Magazine. A successor to books like The Tipping Point and Freakonomics, The Long Tail argues that digital distribution of media gives consumers unparalleled access to the furthers reaches of the fringe, lessening the appeal and the power of the lowest-common-denominator mainstream megahit. Think of the declining Hollywood blockbuster versus the Netflix-powered little documentary that could.

Anderson also argues this phenomenon is a game-changing opportunity for busineses that understand it. For instance, every single one of the 2 million tracks available on iTunes has sold at least once. This "long tail" of demand already accounts for 25-40% of the revenue for the businesses harnessing its power, a percentage that is only going up.

This concept will be a cornerstone of our future economy. I can't wait to learn more about it.