Book and CD picks for the lazy days of summer
The summer heat in this area is excellent for tomatoes and corn - and for taking life a bit more slowly. As many folks stretch their weekends and take time off for family and vacations, it's the perfect time to sit down with an interesting book or to load something new into the CD changer. To help you find the perfect read or listen for your summer, read below for reading and music suggestions for the season from prominent members of the Northeast Ohio community.

	Terry Pluto Sports and religion/faith columnist for The Plain Dealer, author, public Speaker
	Canaan by Donald McCaig. That's Why I'm Here by Chris Spielman and Bruce Hooley. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Spirit Rising by Jim Cymbala. Louder Than Words by Andy Stanley. Out of My League by Dirk Hayhurt book.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Reene Alley WKSU supporter and volunteer
	Outlander by Diane Gabaldon. The first book in the Outlander series, set in ScotlandCatherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie. A narrative biography that will capture your thoughts as Catherine struggles with the realities of the Russian culture. Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George. If watching Inspector Thomas Lynley in the PBS series is something you enjoy, reading this story where Inspector Lynley acts undercover to investigate a death will hook you!     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Kabir Bhatia WKSU reporter and busy Dad
	Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat, and Obsession by Julie Powell. In which the lovable Julie (of "Julie & Julia") has marital troubles and then goes on a spiritual journey abroad to set things right again. Oh, and she becomes a butcher. I have no BEEF with this book, that's why it made THE CUT. Watch for explicit passages. The Godfather by Mario Puzo. I re-read this every few years, and there's so much packed into this book that's NOT in the films. Did you know that Sonny Carlene’s middle name actually IS "trouble"? That's not Italian! Watch for explicit passages. The War for Late Night: When Leno Went Early and Television Went Crazy by Bill Carter. A quasi-sequel to 1995's "The Late Shift," this new volume chronicles the turmoil around the Jay Leno v. Conan O'Brien debacle at NBC. No explicit passages, but still a good read.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Dave Lieberth Deputy Mayor Administration/ Chief of Staff of the City of Akron
	Up In The Old Hotel by Joseph Mitchell. These essays were written for the Newv Yorker over 50 years, and comprise some of the finest writing produced in the 20th century. He has a poet's hand in creating word pictures for the non-fiction profiles of everyday people. Last Call: The Rise & Fall of Prohibition by Daniel Okrent. A period of history just now being better understood in context to other world and national events. Indian Killer by Sherman Alexie. I've read all of his fiction, based on his Native American heritage and upbringing at the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington State.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	David Giffels Author and creative writing professor at the University of Akron
	Pulphead, John Jeremiah Sullivan: I guess because I'm interested in very large subcultures (Christian rock fans, Hurricane Katrina victims, people who still don't understand Michael Jackson but would like to), I'm thinking I'll find a kindred spirit in Sullivan, who explores these topics in this book of essays. Industrial Valley, Ruth McKenney: I can't say I'd "recommend" this book exactly, unless you're the kind of person who would be interested in reading a long fictionalized account of the 1930s formation of the rubber workers' union in Akron, written by the woman who would later pen the Broadway play, My Sister Eileen. Which is to say I'm totally stoked about it! The Ecstasy of Influence, Jonathan Lethem: I wouldn't say I have high hopes for this essay collection, other that I expect it to explain precisely how and why we (or one of my favorite novelists, anyway) think about everything (or literature, at least) in postmodern America.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Jonathon Sawyer Chef & Owner of Greenhouse Tavern
	Acorn House Cookbook by Arthur Potts DawsonArthur Potts Dawson has always been an inspiration, shaped the way we view menus, season changes and sustainability. The Selected Poems of Wendell Barryby Wendell BerryA nice smathering of my favorite poet. A book so good I was embarrassed that I hadn't read it until my friend Pedro gave it to me. Breakfast of Champions by Kurt VonnegutWhat's not to like about apocalyptic books? October Country by Ray BradburyFirst adult themed book my father had given me. The story still holds attention to this day. I have the cover tattooed on my arm, not the Greenhouse Tavern Tree. Catcher in the Rye by JD SalingerNamed my son after him, also tattooed on my arm is the original cover. French Menu Cookbook by Richard OlneyThe godfather of french cooking in America. If you like Julia Childs, you will love Richard Olney, you just don't know it yet. Au Pied de Cochon or Sugar Shack (not the paperback) by Martin Picard True expressions of a restaurant, documented through colorful cartoons by the staff, photos, recipes, and more. A perfect coffee table cookbook. River Cottage Family Book by Hugh Fearnley-WhittingstallI have a soft spot for English cookbooks, and he writes them well.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Lisa Abraham Food writer and lifestyle columnist, Akron Beacon Journal
	The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee's, Farm Fields and the Dinner Table, by Tracie McMillan. Appetite for Life: The Biography of Julia Child by Noel Riley Fitch This book is being reissued in time for Julia Child's what would have been her 100th birthday on Aug. 15, 2012. I missed it the first time around so am anxious to read it now.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Kathy Roberts and Ken Stefanov Kathy- Former HR Professional --- Ken - Sr. V.P. of Finance, C.F.O. for the Cleveland Indians
	Here are some of the books we’ve BOTH read & enjoyed very much: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Since the interviews were authorized by Steve Jobs, this will stand as the best source for the full story of the remarkable life of the man who took his innate abilities and quite literally changed the course of communication, music, information, entertainment on the planet. No matter your opinion of Jobs – the story is riveting. Isaacson’s writing flows. In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson. As Hitler is ascending to power, FDR appoints his Ambassador to Germany. Larson tells the story of the rocky tenure of William E. Dodd & a glimpse of the political climate that led to the horrors of WWII. Simply excellent. The Man in the Rockefeller Suit by Mark Seal. A fascinating account of a German immigrant who reinvented himself in the USA and became a serial imposter until his arrest for kidnapping his daughter. Page turning entertainment start to finish. Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. Two couples – and the journey of their friendship. The queue for summer ’12: The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt The Known World by Edward P. Jones An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler The Women’s Room by Marilyn French The Power of Story by Jim LoehrWe haven’t mutually selected a book for this summer. More likely, one of us reads something we know the other would enjoy and we pass it along. It works beautifully.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Jody Bacon
	Right now I'm reading The Hours by Michael Cunningham. The "Summer pile" includes John Updike's Higher Gossip, Anita Shreve's Testimony, and I've been on a Ward Just reading "binge", and highly recommend any and all of his books. Michael Douglas introduced me to his work, and each of his novels is well worth the time. Also on the pile is Thomas Friedman's That Used To Be Us.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Doug Lane President, North Canton Area Chamber of Commerce.
	The Innocent by David Baldacci. Baldacci is a favorite author of mine who never disappoints. While America Sleeps by Russ Feingold. Russ looks at our country in the post 9/11 world from the viewpoint of three terms in the US Senate, and now as a private citizen. Island of Vice: Theodore Roosevelt's Doomed Quest to Clean-Up Sin Loving New York by Richard Zacks. I'm a TR fan and this book looks at his early political career and one of the rare battles he lost.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Luke Frazier Host/Producer, NEOtropolis and Senior Producer, Civic Commons Radio
	This summer I hope to get through Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson. I've always loved his short fiction but never tried longer stuff. Also,The Impressionist by Hari Kunzru. I just finished his Gods Without Men and loved it. I even photocopied some passages out of it, since the library wanted their book back. I might even re-read John Kennedy Toole's Confederacy of Dunces for, I think, the fourth time. The language is astounding, and the story brings tears to my eyes.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Yvonne C. Williams Educational Consultant/Professor Emerita, The College of Wooster
	My reading in the last 12-18 months has been minimal and sporadic at best, but in that period, two of the books that I finally got around to reading and would recommend are: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Joe Gunderman WKSU producer
	Out of My League by Dirk Hayhurst. His second book was a premium in the WKSU Spring Fund Drive (His first book, Bullpen Gospels' is a NY Times bestseller). He's a WKSU supporter and memeber of the Kent State Athletic Hall of Fame. Wayward Saints by Suzzy Roche. Suzzy Roche is a memeber of The Roches, whom we paly in folk. This is her first book which was a premium in the WKSU Spring Fund Drive.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Martha Regula Research Library Director, National First Ladies Library
	Juliette Gordon Low: The Remarkable Founder of the Girl Scouts by Stacy CorderyCordery was recently at the Library for an event in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts. Every First Lady since Edith Wilson including Michelle Obama has been the honorary president of the Girl Scouts.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Jon Forman WKSU community advisory council member and owner, Cleveland Cinemas
	A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill BrysonA 'laugh out loud' tale of Bryson's trip to the Appalachian Trail - full of info. and wit as Bryson often is. That Old Cape Magic by Richard RussoA good summer read: a middle-aged professor, a struggling marriage and travels and romance on ole Cape Cod. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Steig LarssonIf you missed this book (and the series) last summer, you missed a lot. Great reads. Don't forget to see the Swedish version of the movie, too.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Bill Daniels WKSU supporter and volunteer
	The Crimean War: A History by Orlando FigesHow each side's misconceptions of the other, and religious issues come together to cause a useless war. The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCulloughAmerican ex-patriates in Paris in the 1930-1950s. You won't believe who went. Great read! Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero by Chris MatthewsInsights I never knew. A good read. Well researched. Hitch-22: A Memoir by Christopher HitchensA great insight - wonderful and sad.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Barbara Feld Executive Director, Tuesday Musical Association
	I always have a backload of wonderful books on my wish list, and I have three very appealing but different ones that I have earmarked for the summer. I have been intrigued by every review I have read about Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948 by Madeleine Albright, and look forward to digging into that one. I am a huge John Irving fan and his new book In One Person: A Novel will be devoured in a few settings I am sure. I am also interested in reading Crossing the Borders of Time: A True Story of War, Exile, and Love Reclaimed by Leslie Maitland. I heard Leslie interviewed on PBS’s News Hour and had mixed reactions about the book and decided those feelings warranted me reading it. And, without doubt, there will be mysteries in between. It’s going to be a fun summer and reading is integral to the pleasure of those days.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	David Franklin Director, Cleveland Museum of Art
	Orham Pamuk, The Naive and the Sentimental Novelist (Vintage International), Harvard University Press, 2010. These lectures by the great Turkish novelist explore something simple but elusive: why do we read novels? In answering the question Pamuk stresses that art does not hold up a mirror to life but represents a highly analytical response to the world on the part of any author. At the same time the subjective personal memories and knowledge we bring to reading are not to be under-estimated in feeding our enjoyment. The book represents a defense of writing and reading in an internet age. Neil Macgregor, A History of the World in 100 Objects, British Museum, 2011. This book is an innovative, spellbinding survey of the entire history of art through individual objects all selected from the comprehensive collection of the British Museum, some so humble that might otherwise be overlooked. Elegantly written, the author supplements his own voice with expert opinion to add another layer of observation and impact. It is relevant for the Cleveland Museum of Art for its defense of the encyclopedic museum as a holder of cosmopolitan culture. Alejo Carpentier, The Lost Steps,trans. Harriet de Onís, University of Minnesota Press, 2001. First pubished in 1953, this sumptuously written tale about a composer disillusioned with civilization who travels into the South America jungle where he discovers the origins of music. The story is told completely inside the head of the never-named narrator and so it is less about character than observation and reflection. The central theme is that time is flat, as well as linear and we can escape the present if we wish, except artists who are doomed to live in the future. Tomas Tranströmer, The Great Enigma: New Collected Poems, new collected poems, translated by Robin Fulton, edition 1987-2006. This collection of poems translated from the Swedish is by the most recent Nobel Prize winner for poetry. The style is direct and lapidary, entirely without flourish. Paradoxically, while the poems are inevitably about the nearness of death, there is an optimism implicit in the writer’s confrontation with the afterlife and the work is always comforting, uplifting.     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	James Slowiak Co-Artistic Director, New World Performance Laboratory
	American Dervish: A Novelby Ayad Akhtar— This is the coming of age story of a young Pakistani growing up in Milwaukee in the 1980's. Ayad and I both studied with Polish theatre director Jerzy Grotowski. In fact, Ayad came to Akron and worked with New World Performance Laboratory for a short time in the mid-1990's. I heard his interview on Fresh Air where he spoke very clearly about what he received from his experience with Grotowski and I am excited to read his book. The Devil's Milk: A Social History of Rubber by John Tully. This is a very complete look at the long history of rubber around the world with several chapters devoted to Akron. I am anxious to delve into the grim details of rubber as I begin to prepare the second part of a cycle of plays chronicling life in Akron. The first play, The Akron Color Line Project Performance, was presented in 2011 and the second play in the series will deal with Akron's relationship with rubber. Tully's book promises to be a major resource in creating this new performance with the New World Performance Laboratory. Right now I'm about to begin rehearsals for A Couple of Poor Polish-Speaking Romanians (Oberon Modern Plays) by Dorota Maslowska so I'll be spending a lot of time reading her work this summer. Maslowska is one of Poland's hot young writers and this play (which will receive its area premiere by NWPL's Studio 2 at the Balch Street Theatre in June) is outrageous. Full of dark, Eastern European humor, the play is a road-trip that makes Natural-Born Killers look tame. It's a play about being different and how dangerous that can be in today's gray world. My last selection is my friend Julie Drew's book,Daughter of Providence: A Novel. Julie is an English professor at The University of Akron and she has written an engrossing and beautiful novel. It comes out in paperback this spring and I plan to lay out by the pool and have a good read!     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.
	Luis Proenza President, The University of Akron
	W. Brian Arthur,The Nature of Technology: What It Is and How It Evolves Philip Auerswald,The Coming Prosperity:How Entrepreneurs Are Transforming the Global Economy Matt Ridley,The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves (P.S.)     Purchases through Amazon.com support WKSU.

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