When I develop an interest in something, I generally go overboard. I don’t just listen to R.E.M.’s albums, I know detailed information about the bootlegs I own. I have only been to Vegas three times, but have read enough and listened to more seasoned travelers enough to feel like I have taken 10 times as many trips. I’m almost embarrassed to admit how deeply I follow American soccer.

That’s why I thoroughly enjoyed Charlie Haas‘ 2009 novel “The Enthusiast.” This engaging story follows the travels and travails of Henry Bay, who accidentally immerses himself in the magazine sub-culture of America’s niche interests.

Haas did a great job of making sure that the nature of Henry’s transient employment didn’t get in the way of the story. In fact, I thought he masterfully slipped the story of Henry’s family into the main character’s constant movement.

In the midst of all this, the book manages to latch onto a piece of American culture that I think does not get enough attention. Deep down, we all want to be an expert in something. I believe we all want to convince someone else that our interest should become their interest.

That’s where the magazine business comes into play. For a long time, if you wanted to really learn about your hobby and find others with the same interest, you signed up for a subscription to a magazine or joined a fan club which had a publication.

That’s where Henry finds his niche, not as someone who really cares about one activity, but as the guy who helps those enthusiasts pass on their passion to others. In that, he finds out a lot about himself.

The book sailed by, partially because of the writing, partially because I read it at the beach. If I have one quibble, it’s that I thought the specter of the online community could have really reared its head in the world of enthusiasts. I would think that a guy like Henry would have to develop some sort of ninja-like web skills to stay relevant.

That didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of the book. It’s just me being an uber-geek while examining a book about how uber-geeks deal with the world around them. Par for the course, I suppose.