#Hurricanereads: Things to Read When Sandy Knocks Your Power Out

Hurricane Sandy is wreaking havoc along the eastern seaboard, causing flooding and power outages along the way. You might be one of the people affected by what is being referred to as the "frankenstorm." Provided you're somewhere safe, and lacking the means to accomplish any actual work, this is a perfect time to catch up on some reading. And we have some things for you to dive into.

Ideally you'll have charged up all your gadgets, so that if the power goes out you can continue to consume words, unfettered. And don't even think about using your phone for this: you'll need that when you venture out into the brave new post-flood world in which Kevin Costner is king. Use a computer if you like, but if you have a tablet or eReader that plays nice with Instapaper/Pocket/Readibility, we recommend using that.

  • Wondering why you can't just pay to watch HBO on the internet? The Atlantic dives deep into the underbelly of cable providers to figure out why.
  • The NY Times traveled to the Greek island of Ikaria, where not only are its residents routinely living past the century mark, some are even cheating death. (Oh, the NY Times took down their paywall during the hurricane, so read all you can, while you can!)
  • The New Yorker unearthed a massive piece by the great John McPhee about life on the Mississippi River and the challenge of mastering its waters.
  • Yes, Kim Dotcom is kind of a comical jackass, but you know you can't but help and indulge yourself with a comprehensive look inside his infamous mansion.
  • Tired of everyone claiming they have a light case of Asperger's Syndrome? So is NY Mag.
  • If you've ever wondered what it's like to engage in the type of CIA ops you see in Mission Impossible and the Bourne movies, this firsthand IRL account is just for you.
  • The world of literature is being drug into the digital revolution kicking and screaming. Whether its the digitization of all known writing, or the concept of distant reading, the landscape is changing fast. The LA Review of books will help you survey the situation.
  • What do Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab have in common? Oh, only hell portals. No big deal.
  • The Cray supercomputer? Psssh. The Mira? Whatever. It's all about the new Titan supercomputer, and BBC has a deep look into its inner workings.
  • It's raging outside. You should read something silly. Like the history of Monopoly and the culture which surrounds it.

Enjoy these, but don't get so caught up in your reading that you stop paying attention to the storm altogether.