READING L.A.

Jill Sumner, elementary school teacher:

“Sophie’s World” by Jostein Gaarder (Berkley).

“Gaarder presents the history of philosophy in an original way: with the story of a curious young girl. You don’t have to be a philosophy lover to read this book. Told through her eyes, it’s accessible to everyone.”

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Judith Drury, bookseller:

“Bruculinu, America” by Vincent Schiavelli (Houghton Mifflin).

“This is a warm and wonderful memoir. While the recipes provide nourishment for the body, Schiavelli’s anecdotes nourish the soul. This book is so rich, I’m sure I gained a few pounds just by reading it.”

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Jim Manos, producer-writer:

“Red Harvest” by Dashiell Hammett (Vintage).

“This is a pretty convoluted book, but it’s a classic. His language is wonderful--dames, broads, etc. Hammett wrote about a time when men were men, and two bottles of scotch did not make an unusual day.”

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Barbara DeMarco Barrett, writer-teacher:

“Blue Jelly” by Debby Bull (Hyperion).

“Bull learns her boyfriend has dumped her and turns to canning fruits and vegetables to take her mind off her broken heart. Each chapter, which contains a canning recipe, works as a charming piece on its own.”