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What are you reading?

Compiled by Kevin Murphy
Correspondent for The Capital Times  —  8/28/2008 6:01 am

"I recently had an opportunity to read "My Grandfather's Son," a compelling memoir by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. In this book, Justice Thomas recounts his remarkable story, which begins in rural and impoverished Georgia and ends with his ascension to the nation's highest court. Throughout the memoir, Justice Thomas recounts many struggles -- an absent father, separation from his mother, inner turbulence, coming of age in the late '60s and early '70s, professional challenges, and finally, the bitter Supreme Court confirmation process.

Justice Thomas overcame them all. He credits the strong values and character that his grandfather practiced and instilled in him as enabling him to have the strength of character to persevere.

Justice Thomas' story is a lesson in candor and integrity. It is also a lesson to all parents and grandparents -- your actions, examples, and words carry with your loved ones during the most difficult of times."

J.B. Van Hollen

Wisconsin attorney general

Madison

"'Complexification' by John L. Casti. He's a popular math and science writer. It tries to discuss how complex systems arise from simple parts like an ant colony or the human mind or cities. The group behavior is more complex than just massed individual actions. There's something that emerges from the individual parts that's different than the individual parts."

William Cooke

poet

Madison

"'The Glass Bead Game' by Hermann Hesse. It's philosophical to read, it changes your perspective about how you go about your daily life. It takes place in an academic institution and it's basically this game about how intellectuals function, or not function. It's really long, it probably could have been shortened by about 300 pages but it is good."

Megan O'Hern

ER technician

Minneapolis

"David Sedaris just put out 'When You Are Engulfed in Flames.' It's a collection of his essays, which are humorous; they're poignant at the same time. He writes about people he's met in the world, neighbors. He's interviewed on NPR quite a bit, on 'This American Life'.

Don Rowe

nurse/massage therapist

Madison

"'Musicophilia' by Oliver Sacks. It's about how music affects the brain and has a physical effect on people and how the physical has an effect on music, too. In the opening scene a guy gets hit by lightning and he becomes a ravenous classical music fan. He never had that much interest in it before but he becomes totally interested and becomes a pianist."

Ann Bowen

general manager

Madison

"'(Things Seen and Unseen:) A Year Lived in Faith' by Nora Gallagher. The character works in an Episcopal church in California and she contrasts her life and the parish life over the liturgical year. It's very relevant right now because there's a lot of slow change in religion, nationally with Catholicism, to locally with Catholicism, to the Episcopal Church, to Buddhism. It's a fascinating and refreshing read. It also talks a lot about the ordination of (a gay bishop) within the context of that parish in California."

Owen Smith

membership developer

Madison

Compiled by Kevin Murphy
Correspondent for The Capital Times  —  8/28/2008 6:01 am