The school of life usually teaches you a lot, but it’s not always appropriate for cocktail parties or nerd-tastic meet-ups. There’s quite a lot of information out there, so it’s easier to focus on one area at a time. Thus, if you want to hang with the English professors or just sound like the most well-educated kid on the block (and community college just didn’t quite prepare you), check out these ways to expand your knowledge base.

You may have slept in late this morning, but did you stop to wonder why? What is this whole Independence Day celebration about? Sure, throwing out "1776" and "Constitution" and "former British colony" may win you some points at a cocktail party, but what is America (and specifically the United States) all about? Here are our selections for a quick brush up on the roots of the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Yeah, yeah, so we took off Memorial Day. We know we're a bunch of bums! Even so, we weren't going to leave you waiting 'til Thursday for your RFB fix; here goes:

We love us some cute animals, but we like 'em on the BBQ too. Lately, it seems like a lot of our friends are saying no to our meatfest invitations and opting for the portabello burger. Now, these aren't your average tree-hugging, peace protesters (not that there's anything wrong with activism), so why the trend? We had to ask: What gives?

V-day may be over, but we're betting you didn't get enough action. Though you may be alone, you can get hot and heavy under the covers with some of these reads. Some may call romances trashy, but there's a lot to be learned from this unsung genre. Grab a pint of ice cream or some leftover chocolates and curl up under the covers with these historically-based fantasies.

Need a last minute gift and a subtle way to tell loved ones they spend way too darn much moola? RFB has a present for you. Check out this excerpt from Bargain Junkie by Annie Korzen, of Seinfield and Transformers fame, and learn why we love it:

Reading is fun and educational. Books at the store are expensive. But there's this way cool place called a library where you can read books for free. You can even take them home with you! All you have to do is get a library card, which is also free. Crazy, right?

In honor of Comic-Con, the largest comic book, sci-fi, and fantasy convention in the world, here are a bunch of awesome comics you should be reading with all your downtime. Books with pictures are quick reads, so I expect a full report by next week. Books are expensive, you say? Then get them from the library or borrow from a friend!