The World Cup starts on Friday and I'm getting psyched. I got a TiVo and upgraded our cable specifically for the event, even though I know full well that somehow I will have the results of each and every game in which I have the slightest interest blurted out to me before I get the chance to go home and watch the recording.

Last night I heard a story on NPR about a book called The Thinking Fan's Guide to the World Cup and I picked it up on my way home from work. In addition to some basic information about the competitors, it features an essay about each of the 32 teams and the countries they come from. And yes, that does sound like a snooze, but these are by real writers like Dave Eggers, Eric Schlosser, and (inevitably) Nick Hornby. I nearly peed myself with excitement reading it on the Metro this morning. It's good. It's very good. You need it.