There’s the New York Times best-sellers list and Oprah’s Book
Club, but when it comes to finding a good book, get the advice of
someone you know
Who are you curling up with on the couch or taking to bed with you? Who is sitting on your nightstand, waiting for you to come along on a great adventure? In other words, what authors are you reading and who are the characters that have you captivated? We want to know!
To kick off a dialogue about what South Valley residents are reading, we chatted with various members of local communities to find out what books they’ve had their noses buried in recently. Hopefully, it will inspire you to read the books they recommend.
What’s your favorite book, or what are you reading that you just can’t put down? We want to know. We’ll include your responses in an upcoming story.
Kelly Savio is the Lifestyles reporter for South Valley Newspapers. Reach her at (408) 842-2205 or ks****@**********rs.com.
Rosanne Macek
community librarian, Morgan Hill
“I’m reading a book called ‘The World is Flat: a Brief History of the Twenty-First Century’ (by Thomas L. Friedman). It’s been on the New York Times nonfiction best-seller list for quite some time. I try to be aware of the list so I know what people are reading and what people might be looking for. I read it was about globalization and I thought, ‘Wow, that sounds really boring,’ but then I saw several articles saying everyone should read this book and it’s so great. I’m about halfway through it, and it grabbed me right from the beginning. The author has a way of taking complicated concepts and making them easy to understand and making them interesting. I just can’t wait to finish it. I’m really impressed.”
Al Pinheiro
Gilroy mayor
“I’m reading The Dispatch, of course! Actually, I have so much work, I’m not really reading anything just for fun. By the time I read the council packets and things for all the committees I’m on, I don’t have time for anything else. Once in a while, I’ll read trade magazines or city-related magazines. You try to sit on the (Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority) Board, the council and all the other boards I’m on, and all you read are reports on this and reports on that, and that’s it.”
Mary Ellen Salzano certified professional life coach, Morgan Hill
“I’m reading ‘The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom’ by Don Miguel Ruiz. What I did in the beginning was read the whole book, cover to cover, and now I’m going back and really focusing on each of the four sections. I started with ‘don’t make assumptions,’ and it said just working on that would change your life. I work on that one continually, expressing what I really need and what I really want, and getting clarity. It’s a wonderful thing when people ask questions that are clear, so that you understand and both parties are on the same page. It’s very easy to read – none of the words are more than three syllables. A friend recommended it to me, and she’s someone who I trust, who I admire and respect. It’s a book that helps you move forward in your personal awareness, and I’m always looking for ways to move forward. It’s absolutely incredible.”
Capt. Joshua Valverde
Gilroy Fire Department
“I just finished ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ (by Mark Haddon). I think that the guy who wrote it is very, very clever. He really touched home. The book is about a boy that has Asperger’s Disease, which is a form of autism. I have a son that has Asperger’s, and I thought the author did a really good job of bringing a lot of things to life that are real about the disease. Even though not all cases are the same, he did a really good job in documenting and portraying not only autism, but the challenges and the issues parents have to endure, too. It was just a great book.”
Jan Grist history teacher
at marguerite Maze middle school In Hollister
“I’m reading ‘A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveller,’ by (Frances Mayes), who wrote ‘Under the Tuscan Sun.’ I’m about a third of the way through the book, and it’s right up my alley. I’ve got a wanderlust, and I love reading about travel and adventures. It’s also very well-written because she was a literature professor. It’s set in Europe and in Asia, and it’s semi-autobiographical. She and her husband are actually living in these various areas, and so it’s about their experiences with different cultures. So far, I would definitely recommend it to other people.”
Dawn O’Connor, science teacher at Solorsano in Gilroy
“I just finished ‘The Five People You Meet in Heaven’ (by Mitch Albom). I thought it was kind of an interesting take. You read all kinds of stories and you get all kinds of takes on heaven. It’s interesting to think of heaven as a place where you process and learn about the life you lived rather than just a place to be judged. It wasn’t a book I picked up and couldn’t put down, and I really couldn’t identify with the main character, but I appreciated that it was a unique outlook. It’s rare that you find a book with a truly unique outlook. “I also recently read ‘My Sister’s Keeper: A Novel’ (by Jodi Picoult), which I liked for two reasons. First, I liked it because I do teach science and I’m interested in genetics and bio ethics, which are both covered in the book. It was also interesting to look at topics like stem cells and bio ethics from a humanist point of view rather than just a scientist’s point of view. I liked the book – the story was gripping.”
Capt. Bob Brookes
Hollister Police department
“I’m actually reading three different books right now. I’m reading ‘It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy’ by D. Capt. Michael Abrashoff. I’m also reading about how to tear down an engine and rebuild it, and I’m reading “The Federalist Papers.” They’ve always intrigued me. They were the argument put forth to establish the Constitution of the United States. I got intrigued because people are so impatient for us to get a constitution in tact for Iraq, and it took us 12 years to get ours together. The papers also deal with the argument for and against a strong or weak central government. It’s really interesting that we were a bunch of separate states operating almost independently from one another for almost 12 years. Anyway, it’s kind of an eclectic group of books, but I’m enjoying them. And, of course, I read the funny papers every morning.”
Robert Scattini
Hollister Mayor
“I’m reading all the city stuff, which is volumes of paperwork for study sessions, and all the new laws for the Marshall’s office, and all the stuff for all the committees I belong to. In fact, I’m reading a bunch of it right now. I’ve got two full-time jobs, so I don’t read Playboy or any of those other magazines. I read the newspaper and all my work stuff, and that’s about all I have time for.”
Dennis Kennedy Morgan Hill Mayor
“Well, I’m a news junkie, and I really like to follow news very closely, so I read all the newspapers. I recently read a book about his excellency, George Washington, which was wonderful. I enjoy reading historical stuff and political stuff as well, even though I live the politics so much in day-to-day life. It’s fascinating to read about some of our major historical figures and what made them tick and what their backgrounds were.
“I did pick up Time magazine recently, and I read about Barry Bonds and the steroid issue, and I think I’d like to pick up the book about him written by the two (San Francisco Chronicle) writers. I like outdoor sports, so I’ll occasionally read informational magazines about scuba diving, boating, water skiing and flying. But really, most of my reading is heavily weighted toward city business. I’m on a transportation committee for Santa Clara County, and the amount of information they send out to us each week is about 6 inches high, all about transit plans, and BART and other transportation and traffic-related information.”
South Valley Book Clubs
Morgan Hill
Morgan Hill Public Library: meets at 7:30pm the last Thursday of every month at the library, 17575 Peak Ave. This month’s book is “Ella Minnow Pea” by Mark Dunn.
Info: (408) 779-3196
BookSmart: meets at 7pm on the third Thursday of every month at the Good Life Cafe, 17400 Monterey Road. The year’s schedule of books is posted in BookSmart. This month’s book is “Cloud Atlas: A Novel” by David Mitchell.
Info: (408) 778-6467
Gilroy
Gilroy Public Library: meets at 7pm the last Tuesday of every month in the community room of the library, 7387 Rosanna St. This month’s book is “The Bookseller of Kabul” by Asne Seierstad.
Info: (408) 842-8207
