hottakes

Books

21 Cup

Precise exposition of the rules for a variant of beer pong.

Some games have virtually no stakes and are played for the mere joy of playing. Some games are high stakes and require very precise definitions of acceptable play.

Beer pong falls squarely into the former category, but when it becomes a cherished ritual among a set of bright, intense young people overflowing with energy, you end up with a book like 21 Cup. With cheer and humor, it gives a self consciously thorough and serious enumeration of the rules of the game.

One of my favorite parts of reading is modeling the mental state of the author at the time of writing. Between its dry, legalistic lines, 21 Cup tells a tacit story of a tribe of young men, flush with the power, joy, and optimism of their early twenties, bonding over the love of a simple game, which really just serves as a vessel for their mutual respect, fondness, and admiration.

Recommended for anyone whose life includes a warmly remembered beer pong chapter.

Perfect choice to follow a review of The Bible